Undercover
by McMousie
Summary: Shuichi Minamino is a police officer who goes undercover to investigate drug smuggling at a local BDSM club. He didn't expect to meet a handsome stranger during his clandestine work. Warning: contains language and implied sexual content.
1. Chapter 1

Hiei weaved through the crowd of patrons in the club, making his way towards the bar. It was busy tonight, he noted. He had to push his way past several people who shot him irritated glares. He didn't bother apologising to them.

Hiei hadn't been to this club in some time. It was a well-known BDSM club in Tokyo, run by a local businessman. Hiei had heard shady things about the owner, but didn't really care as it didn't affect him.

He was approached by a blonde girl in a short, almost see-through dress.

"Hey, mister." She smiled up at him, showing dimples on her cheeks.

Hiei pushed past her without responding. He knew he was being rude, but though she was pretty, she wasn't his type.

He found a spare barstool and took a seat at the bar.

"Hey, Hiei," the bartender, a portly man wearing an open leather vest showing his bare chest said to him. "Haven't seen you here in a while. The usual?"

"Yes," Hiei said curtly. He was surprised that the bartender even remembered his usual order. As the bartender was making his drink, Hiei asked, "Anyone interesting tonight?"

"Weeell," the bartender said, stretching out the word as he handed Hiei his drink. Hiei stared at him, silently willing him to get on with it. He didn't have a lot of patience for the man but he was a good source of information, as evidenced by his excellent memory.

"There's a pretty redhead over that way," the bartender said, pointing over to the corner of the room that was used for public displays. "But if you want him, you'd better snap him up quick."

"What's he like?" Hiei asked curiously, setting his drink on the bar.

"Young and fresh," the bartender said with a chuckle. "But seems kind of picky. He's already turned a few guys down."

"Maybe he doesn't like men?" Hiei suggested.

"Look. I've been here for a long time," the bartender told him, leaning forward and lowering his voice conspiratorially. His breath smelled strongly of alcohol. "I know what people like. I'm telling you, that one likes men. And he's a sub."

Hiei wasn't sure whether to trust the bartender's judgement, but it couldn't hurt to check the redhead out. At worst, he'd make a pass and be rejected. He could live with that.

He downed the rest of his glass with one swallow and set the glass on the bar. "Thanks. I'll take a look at him," he told the bartender.

"Have fun," the bartender said with a lewd wink. Hiei scowled as he turned away. He decided that he really didn't like the guy.

The redhead was surprisingly easy to find. His fiery red hair was long and he wore it tied back in a low ponytail. His body was slender though the rolled-up sleeves of his shirt showed well-defined muscles. His movements as he made his way through the crowd were graceful. Hiei wondered how flexible he was.

Glancing around, Hiei realised that he wasn't the only one checking out the newcomer. Several other men were also giving him appraising looks. Hiei decided not to wait any longer. He made his way through the crowd on a path that would intercept the redhead.

When he reached the man, he deliberately bumped into him, knocking him off balance. The man let out a surprised gasp. Hiei wrapped an arm around the redhead's slim waist, pulling the other man against his hard chest in a ploy to steady him.

The man stiffened against him.

"I'm sorry," Hiei apologised. "Are you all right?" He did not release the man.

"I am fine, thank you," the redhead said. He tried to push away from Hiei. Hiei waited a moment before releasing him, taking hold of the man's arm. He acted as though it were to steady him but really it was to keep him from leaving.

Hiei studied his face. His green eyes were vibrant and his features fine-boned. He could be a model, Hiei thought. He could even pass for a pretty girl, in the right clothes.

The man tried to tug his arm free from Hiei's grip but Hiei held on.

"Excuse me," he said quietly but pointedly. "I need to leave." Was it Hiei's imagination, or did he see a flash of fear in those green eyes?

"What are you looking for?" Hiei asked, careful to keep his voice level and calm.

"I'm sorry?" the man asked. Now there was no mistaking the fear in his eyes, though he still managed to keep it from his voice.

"You came here tonight for a reason," Hiei said. "What are you looking for?"

"I, ah…" He clearly didn't know how to answer Hiei's question.

Hiei sighed in exasperation. "Most people come here to fuck, or be fucked," he told the man bluntly. "Which are you?"

The man's eyes widened in shock. He opened his mouth and then closed it again. "I… don't know," he admitted finally, dropping his gaze.

Hiei sighed, fed up. He dropped the man's arm. "if you make up your mind come and find me," he said. He left, heading back towards the bar.

The redhead stood still, watching him depart with a frown.

-0-

"What do you mean you didn't get anywhere?"

Koenma leaned forward in his chair to glare at the man standing in front of his desk. The redhead's posture was straight and his hands were clasped behind his back. His head was dipped respectfully to his boss.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said. "But I don't think I'm the right person for this job. My experience in this area is not adequate. I-"

Koenma cut him off sharply. "Officer Minamino, I am familiar with your history," he said testily. "And you are the right person for this job."

Minamino shifted uncomfortably. "Sir, I must respectfully disagree," he said firmly. "I now believe that my history makes me exactly the wrong kind of person for this job."

Koenma stared him down, an irritated frown on his face. Then he leaned back in his chair, shuffling some papers around on his desk as he asked, "Do you know how many young people have died because they took that new drug?"

"Sir, I-" Minamino started, green eyes wide.

"You can do something about that," Koenma continued. "You can stop it. Don't you want to stop it?"

"Yes, but-"

"Go back there tonight," Koenma ordered. "You'd better have some progress to report to me soon. Dismissed."

Minamino's posture remained erect until he'd left the office. Then his shoulders slumped as he returned to his desk.

"No luck, huh?" a sympathetic voice asked. His partner, Yusuke Urameshi, perched on the edge of his desk. His dark hair was slicked back and his uniform was rumpled, as if he hadn't ironed it. He was sipping from a soft drink can. Minamino sat down on his chair and sighed.

"No," he said. "He won't budge."

"Bummer," Yusuke said. "You want me to come tonight?"

"No. It's risky enough for one of us to be there," Minamino told him. "besides, I might need you later."

"This sucks, Shuichi." Yusuke sat his half-empty soft drink can on Shuichi's desk. Shuichi shifted it from the top of his files to a clear spot, frowning in irritation. Yusuke didn't notice his partner's annoyance. "Just because the boss's daughter died of an overdose, he's all up us on this one. Sending you in there alone is just… completely mental."

"Do you think I can't handle it?" Shuichi asked, looking up at Yusuke from under red bangs. His expression was impossible for Yusuke to read, something that he'd always disliked about his partner.

"No, that's not what…" Yusuke paused, considering his words. "I mean, everyone knows…" He trailed off again, helplessly. Shuichi frowned in displeasure at him.

"Look," Yusuke said finally, coming to a decision. "You're one of the best cops I know. You're cool under pressure and you're really smart. You can handle it. But, given your history, you bloody shouldn't have to."

Shuichi smiled then, but it was bittersweet. "Thank you, Yusuke," he said, "for your vote of confidence."

"No problem, man. I'm here anytime you need a cheerleader. But I'm not wearing a skirt for you."

Shuichi chuckled at the mental image Yusuke's words conjured up. Yusuke grinned down at him and slid off his desk, retrieving his drink as he did so. He was glad that he'd been able to cheer Shuichi up. They were friends as well as partners and Shuichi had been having a rough time lately. this latest case would only make things harder for him.

He left his friend to his work and returned to his own desk. It was not neat, like his partner's. Files were scattered everywhere, pages spilling out across his desk. He hadn't even read half of them. He preferred to leave that sort of task to his more patient and studious partner.

He sat down and dug through the files, locating the one about the case they were currently working on at Koenma's behest. Contained in the file were details about the club and it's mysterious owner, Sekyo.

Sekyo was a well-known and wealthy businessman with a squeaky-clean reputation, at least according to official records. Yusuke didn't buy it. He didn't believe that someone could make that much money without doing something underhanded. But he tended to be cynical about things like that, as he'd grown up poor. He'd had to struggle just to get to where he was now. Not that he regretted anything.

Koenma was sure that Sekyo was importing the new designer drug known as Lift into the city. It was cheap and potent. And extremely addictive. There had been about a dozen fatalities related to it already. But while Koenma suspected Sekyo, he had no proof.

Which was where Shuichi came in. Koenma wanted him to infiltrate the club and get his hands on incriminating evidence. Both Yusuke and Shuichi had pointed out that there might not even be any at the club. Koenma countered that they had to start somewhere and Sekyo spent a lot of time at that club. It wasn't out of the realm of possibility that there was something there.

Yusuke doubted it, but Koenma was determined. He had picked Shuichi as the best person for the task, since he had an excellent record, was intelligent and quick-thinking. At least, that's what he'd claimed. But Yusuke suspected that Shuichi had been picked more for his looks than his mind. He was a year older than Yusuke, but his fine features made him look younger. His long red hair and green eyes were unusual in this country and made him stand out. In short, he was desirable.

Yusuke was incensed on behalf of his friend that his boss was using him in such a manner, but it wasn't his place to say anything. Koenma never listened to anything he said anyway. And he couldn't risk getting thrown off the case. He wanted to be the one to have Shuichi's back, in case something went wrong.

Yusuke stared balefully down at the photograph of their target, Sekyo. He had long dark hair and aristocratic features only marred by the long scar down one side of his face.

"Bastard," he muttered, slamming the file shut.

-0-

Hiei debated whether or not to return to the club the next night. After an hour of moping around his lonely, empty house, he finally decided he'd had enough of feeling sorry for himself and departed.

The club was less crowded tonight since it was a Sunday. A lot of people had to work in the morning. Hiei was one of them but he didn't care.

He sat on the barstool, surveying the area around him. He was surprised when he spotted the redhead from the night before. His outfit tonight was similar to what he'd been wearing last night. Pressed slacks and a button-up shirt though the sleeves were not rolled up tonight. An unusual choice for this sort of club, Hiei thought. Most people here were trying to attract attention and dressed accordingly.

Hiei's own outfit was understated. He wore a tight-fitting black t-shirt that showed off his muscular arms and the dragon tattoo that almost completely covered his right arm. He also wore snug-fitting denim jeans. He knew he looked attractive, but not slutty. The redhead, on the other hand, looked like he belonged in an office, not a club.

He spotted Hiei and Hiei watched in amusement as his eyes widened. He paused for a moment, obviously considering his options, before slowly moving forward towards Hiei.

"Good evening," he said politely when he reached him.

"Have you made up your mind?" Hiei asked him, without preamble. He didn't like beating around the bush.

The redhead looked down, uncertain. Hiei sighed, disappointed.

The redhead heard the sigh and he raised his head to meet Hiei's crimson gaze. Hiei was surprised. Most people found his unusual eyes disconcerting and did not like looking directly at them.

"You seem to be someone who appreciates straightforwardness," the redhead began, "so I will be blunt about this."

Hiei stared at him incredulously as he tried to figure out if he'd just been insulted or not. Diplomatically insulted, he decided, with some amusement. The redhead ignored his expression and went on.

"I am new to this," he said. "I have no experience and a lot to learn."

That made sense, Hiei thought. The redhead certainly gave the impression of being out of his depth, though he did have a good poker face, which he was making use of now. He looked determined, though beneath that he must be feeling uncertain.

"You should be careful, then," Hiei advised him. "Find someone experienced to teach you."

"Can you recommend someone?" the redhead asked hopefully.

Hiei frowned. Honestly, he couldn't. He didn't know a single Dom here that he would trust with the inexperienced and insecure redhead.

"No," he finally said. "But I've been away for a while. Perhaps you should ask around."

"What about you?" the redhead inquired, tilting his head slightly to the side to give Hiei an inquisitive look.

Did he want to train an inexperienced sub, Hiei wondered. The redhead was extremely attractive, there was no denying that. But he had a feeling that there were layers to this man that he couldn't see. That bothered him. He didn't like complications.

The redhead waited patiently for Hiei's answer as the seconds ticked by. Hiei studied his demeanour closely. He had good posture and he presented himself well, even if his clothes were a little odd for this setting. Hiei liked that. Despite being out of his depth in this place, he was obviously determined not to show any weakness. And the way he moved indicated that he had probably taken some kind of dance or martial arts classes at some point in his life. All points that made him interesting to Hiei.

Finally he said, "We'll discuss it. Come with me." He stood from the barstool and made his way through the club to a darkened corridor. He didn't look back to see if the man was following. He walked down the hall until he found an unoccupied room and entered.

The redhead paused in the door, scrutinising the room warily before he decided whether or not to enter. The room was comfortably furnished with two leather sofas and a coffee table in the middle. Hiei went over to a water dispenser that sat against one wall and poured two glasses of water. He carried them over to the coffee table and sat them on it. Then he sat on one of the sofas.

"We're just going to talk," he assured the redhead, who was still poised in the door. Hiei noticed that his stance was balanced, ready to run at a second's notice. Skittish, he thought worriedly. That didn't bode well for their future interactions.

After another moment's hesitation, the man entered the room. He took the sofa across from Hiei and reached for the glass. He held it in his hands but did not drink from it. Instead, he stared into it's watery depths.

"If you aren't willing to trust me, this won't work," Hiei told him. "You have to at least be willing to try."

The redhead frowned but nodded.

"What's your name?" Hiei asked him, after taking a sip of his water.

"Kurama," the man said, after a beat.

A lie, Hiei suspected. So much for trust. But he'd continue this a little longer and see what happened. They were only talking, after all.

"I'm Hiei," he said, neglecting to give a last name, as the other man hadn't provided one either. "I'm not too picky about how you address me during normal interactions, as long as you are respectful."

Kurama nodded again. At least he had lifted his gaze from the water to look directly at him, Hiei thought.

"What about a safe word?" Kurama asked with a frown.

The question surprised Hiei. He might be inexperienced but he'd obviously at least done some cursory research.

"I will insist on it," Hiei said. "We'll talk about what that will be later. Have you had sex with a man before?"

"Yes," Kurama said. He suddenly looked uncomfortable, his eyes shifting to stare at the wall over Hiei's shoulder.

"Bad experience?" Hiei guessed, careful to inject sympathy into his voice.

"I'd rather not talk about it," Kurama said. "Suffice to say that I am experienced in… taking a man. That is what you were asking, is it not?"

"Yes." Hiei filed away the scant information about the redhead's previous relationship for another time. He certainly wasn't willing to let that subject entirely drop, despite Kurama's wishes.

"We will also have to discuss what you are prepared to allow me to do and what you are not willing to try," Hiei said. "We'll draw up a contract, so both of us are clear on what we expect and want from each other."

Kurama visibly relaxed. The mention of a contract had eased some of his worries, Hiei noted. He had thought it might. Someone as new and inexperienced as Kurama would find it reassuring to have everything laid out in front of him in black and white.

"And if I decide I am no longer comfortable with our arrangement?" Kurama asked, after finally taking a sip of his water.

"We'll discuss it," Hiei said. "Either the contract is modified or dissolved."

"That sounds fair," Kurama said, after a moment's contemplation.

"I thought so, too," Hiei told him. He earned a small smile in return. Maybe this could work after all, he thought.


	2. Chapter 2

"Urameshi."

Yusuke scowled up at his boss, who was standing beside his desk. "What?" He asked, not bothering to keep his irritation out of his voice.

"I need you to go to the hospital and take a statement," Koenma told him. "A rape case."

"I hate those," Yusuke muttered, standing. He started towards Shuichi's desk. The redhead was bent over a mess of papers, utterly absorbed in them and ignoring everything around him. A hand on Yusuke's shoulder stopped him.

Yusuke glared at Koenma. "What?" he demanded.

"You're going with Kuwabara," Koenma told him.

"What about Shuichi?" Yusuke asked. "He's my partner. Why can't he come?"

"He's busy," Koenma said firmly. "You're taking Kuwabara."

Yusuke glanced around the room until he spotted the orange haired man standing by the door, waiting for him and looking as unhappy about the situation as he was.

"For a rape case?" Yusuke grumbled. "Do you think the two of us are really the best people for this? One look at that thug and the girl will run screaming from the room. You know that Shuichi's always the best with these cases."

"It's not a girl," Koenma said bluntly. "And no, you're not the best people for this. But you're all I have."

Yusuke's eyes darted back to SHuichi, still bent over his papers and oblivious to everything that was happening around him. He sighed.

"Fine," he muttered, starting towards Kuwabara.

"I'm driving," he grumbled at the taller man as he passed him.

"Hey, wait," Kuwabara protested, hurrying after him.

-0-

The victim was a young man, as Koenma had indicated. Yusuke kept his distance, standing to the side while Kuwabara talked to the man. Really, he was more of a boy. Yusuke would eat his badge if he was actually 20 as he claimed.

Very quickly he had realised that Kuwabara was the best person to question the man. Despite his brutish appearance he was sympathetic and caring and that showed through. The man responded better to him than he did to Yusuke so Yusuke let Kuwabara take the lead.

It was a simple story, and one Yusuke had heard before. Boy (or, more often, Girl) goes to club, meets nice guy, accepts a drink, passes out and wakes up somewhere completely unfamiliar with no memory of the previous night.

This one had a twist, though and Yusuke suspected that it was the reason Koenma had ordered them to investigate. According to the attending nurse, the drug used was Lift. And the young man did have some memory of the events of that night though it was hazy.

Another point that interested Yusuke was that the incident had occurred at the same club Shuichi was investigating. He found that fact disturbing.

After the interview, Kuwabara and Yusuke stood outside the room in the hall.

"Do you think we can find this guy?" Kuwabara asked. He looked upset. Hearing the details of what the young man had suffered, even though those details had been few, had been enough to affect him.

"I don't know," Yusuke said. "Dark hair, dark eyes, that's a pretty crappy description. The name is probably fake, too."

"Should we check out the club?" Kuwabara asked. "Maybe someone saw something?"

Yusuke snorted. "Do you think they'll cooperate?" He asked, cynically.

Kuwabara's face dropped but Yusuke continued on. "They don't want the bad publicity. And if this guy is a regular, they'll protect him. The guy who owns the club is probably into drugs so he won't want us poking around, even if the case has nothing to do with the drugs. And we know that it does involve drugs."

"So we just drop it?" Kuwabara asked indignantly, his voice raising.

"Shhh!" Yusuke hissed at him as a passing nurse gave them a disapproving look.

"Look," he said quietly. "It sucks, I know. We can try, if you want. But it won't do any good."

Kuwabara kicked at the leg of the chair he was standing beside. "I hate this," he muttered.

"I know, man. I know," Yusuke agreed. There were times when he hated his job, too.

-0-

Shuichi sat in his apartment at his small dining room table. Sitting on the tabletop in front of him was the contract Hiei had drawn up. He'd already read through it twice and made several changes. He wondered how Hiei would react to them.

There were several terms in the contract that he'd needed to look up on the internet because he hadn't understood them. He had thought that he was fairly experienced in sexual matters but he been stunned by the contents of his research. He felt like he was getting in over his head.

He wondered if he should talk to someone about his situation. Maybe Yusuke. But then he thought better of it. Yusuke would likely advise him to not go through with it. He had been against Shuichi's assignment from the beginning.

Shuichi sighed and tucked the papers back into the folder. He'd discuss the contract with Hiei during their next meeting.

-0-

Hiei waited at the bar for Kurama to show up. He was early but he suspected that Kurama was the sort to show up early and Hiei didn't want him wandering around the club on his own.

He was correct. Kurama showed up fifteen minutes early. He wore slacks and a button-up shirt again. Hiei almost groaned out loud when he saw the shirt. It was pink. He hated pink. But somehow Kurama still looked good in it. It just wasn't fair.

"Good evening," he greeted Hiei. He held the folder containing Hiei's contract under his arm.

Hiei slid off the barstool, taking Kurama's arm and guiding him through the room. He went into the same hall they'd been down last time and found an empty room. this time Kurama entered without hesitating. He sat on one of the sofas, putting the contract on the table.

Hiei sat down across from him and slid the contract to his side of the table. He began to flick through it, taking his time and noting the things Kurama had added or changed.

He seemed willing to experiment, but only in certain areas, Hiei noted. He didn't want anything that would leave permanent scarring. That was no surprise, given his good looks. He also didn't want to be shared, though he was okay with public displays.

Hiei looked up at him to find that Kurama was watching him with his usual impassive face. "You're not okay with anyone else touching you?" he asked curiously.

"Certainly not," Kurama said with a frown. "Is that a deal-breaker for you?"

"No," Hiei said. "I don't plan on sharing you, anyway."

"Good," Kurama said flatly.

"Is there anything you have questions about?" Hiei asked him.

Kurama's lips curled into a smile. "How long do you have?" he asked wryly.

"All night," Hiei told him honestly. He slid the contract back to Kurama, in case he needed to use it as a reference.

Kurama leaned back, ignoring the contract. "First…" he started.

-0-

Hiei left the meeting feeling annoyed. Kurama was a stickler for detail. He'd insisted that Hiei explain several terms to him. In excruciatingly precise detail. With things that Hiei thought were obvious, Kurama had still required clarification. He was definitely insecure about this, Hiei thought. That made him wonder why Kurama was still determined to go through with it.

At least he had eventually signed the contract. Hiei had been about ready to strangle him when he'd suddenly just signed it. Out of the blue. Hiei had almost cried with relief. He was tired and he just wanted to go home and sleep.

When he arrived back at his house he found that he had a message on his answering machine from his employer. Tomorrow was supposed to be his day off but she wanted him to teach a class. The usual teacher had called in sick that day and she was scrambling to find a replacement.

Hiei worked as a martial arts teacher at a dojo located near his house. He called his boss back and told her that he'd take the class. He could use the extra money.

Hiei padded through the silent house. It was far too large for one person but it had belonged to his aunt and been left to himself and his sister when she died. Hiei had grown up here. His sister should have grown up here as well but that wasn't meant to be.

Hiei had thought about selling it but it held too many memories for him to let it go. He always found an excuse to keep it. It required a lot of upkeep however and Hiei's wage didn't cover all the expenses. He'd left the garden to grow wild as he didn't have enough time to look after it. Nor the interest, he had to admit, if he were being honest.

He toyed with the idea of inviting Kurama to spend the night at some point. Kurama had insisted that they keep their interactions restricted to the club. No doubt he felt more secure there but Hiei hoped that eventually he'd loosen up on that point. Perhaps once he became more comfortable with Hiei he would be more willing to compromise.

-0-

Shuichi was incredibly nervous when he showed up at the club for his first session with Hiei. Hiei was again waiting for him at the bar. Like last time, Shuichi greeted him politely, and like last time Hiei said nothing. He just stood up and headed in the direction of the hallway again. This time he went further down the hall than they had previously been and turned a corner. They passed several rooms before Hiei stopped at one.

He waited for Shuichi to catch up and then gestured for Shuichi to enter the room ahead of him. Shuichi did so, after shooting him a wary look as he passed by him.

The room beyond was dim but there was enough light for Shuichi to make out the contents of the room.

There was a bed against the far wall. On the walls hung various items. Shuichi recognised most of them from his research.

Hiei closed the door behind him but gave him space and stayed silent while Shuichi studied the room. It was important for him to feel comfortable and safe.

Eventually, Shuichi turned back to Hiei, one red eyebrow raised in inquiry. "Well?" he asked, a little uncertainly.

"Would you like to get started?" Hiei asked him. Shuichi swallowed but nodded.

"Good," Hiei said.

-0-

Hiei sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. Kurama was dozing with his head in Hiei's lap as Hiei stroked his hair. His eyes were closed and his breathing was even. Both were naked and sweaty but Hiei didn't care.

Kurama had surprised Hiei. He had expected some resistance from the man but Kurama had been obedient and submissive. He had asked some questions towards the beginning but after some time he had relaxed and allowed Hiei to proceed with the session.

Hiei had thought that Kurama was inexperienced, but now he was beginning to think that the redhead actually did have some experience after all. His reluctance seemed to stem from a bad experience in his past. He required constant reassurance. Hiei had needed to remind him several times that he was safe, when he sensed that Kurama was beginning to become upset.

Hiei knew that he would have to wake Kurama up soon so they could both shower but for now he decided to just stay here for a little while. These sort of moments were rare for him. He wondered if they were rare for Kurama as well. Did he have anyone in his life he could snuggle up with? Probably not, given that he'd come to the club in the first place, Hiei thought.

Kurama shifted in his lap, mumbling something incoherent in his sleep.

"Kurama?" Hiei asked quietly, wondering if that would be enough to wake him.

"Hmmm?" came the groggy response.

"Kurama, you have to wake up. You need to shower," Hiei told him.

Kurama's only response was to sigh softly. Hiei gave Kurama's long hair a gentle tug.

"Come on," he said insistently.

"Five more minutes," Kurama mumbled, looking up at Hiei with pleading emerald eyes, still glazed with sleep.

Hiei groaned. "All right, fine," he muttered. Kurama closed his eyes. Hiei shook his head in resignation and went back to playing with Kurama's hair.

-0-

Shuichi collapsed into bed that night, completely exhausted. But it was a good kind of exhaustion. He'd been surprised by how much he'd enjoyed the night's activities. Hiei had taken the time to make sure that he knew what to expect and that he felt safe. It hadn't been anything like his previous relationship. That had been unexpected.

He'd only ever had experience with one dom and that man had been hard and intolerant of Shuichi's lack of experience. He had expected Shuichi to obey him unquestioningly and had not bothered to take the time to allow Shuichi to trust him or bothered to consider Shuichi's feelings. Shuichi had felt used and taken advantage of. The relationship had ended horribly.

Hiei had been considerate and patient with him. He felt cared for and valued. He found himself looking forward to their next meeting.

The fact that he was quickly becoming emotionally invested with someone while working a case did bother him a little. But it was very unlikely that Hiei had anything to do with the drugs. And spending time with Hiei gave him the perfect excuse to return to the club. No one would find it suspicious if he were meeting someone regularly there. Yes, he was using Hiei. Just a little. He knew he should probably be honest with Hiei and tell him what he was really doing there, but he didn't want to jeopardise the case or put Hiei at risk in any way. Shuichi decided to tell him only when he had gotten what he needed, and hope that the other man would understand his reasoning and forgive him.


	3. Chapter 3

Yusuke and Kuwabara had gone to the club and questioned the staff about the young man who'd been raped. As Yusuke had expected, the staff had, on the whole, been uncooperative. They had learned nothing, a fact that Koenma wasn't too happy about.

Yusuke noticed that Shuichi was quiet and he went over to the redhead's desk. Now that he was working with Kuwabara, he wasn't able to spend as much time with his friend as he used to and he missed him.

"Hey, man," he said. Shuichi looked up, meeting his eyes. "Come out with us this weekend," he said.

Shuichi frowned. "When?" He asked.

"Saturday. Lunch time," Yusuke said. "We'll try out that new cafe near your place."

Oh. All right," Shuichi agreed. "Who else will be going?"

"Kuwabara," Yusuke said. "You've talked to him before, right?"

Shuichi smiled in recognition at the mention of their colleague. "Yes," he said. "We've worked together on some cases before."

"Good," Yusuke said. "It's set, then."

Yusuke hoped to use the lunch date as an opportunity to question Shuichi about his activities at the club. He hadn't seen much of the place but the little he'd seen made him worry about his friend's wellbeing.

Shuichi seemed capable, and for the most part he was, but when it came to relationships he had a habit of being attracted to the wrong people. Yusuke had been there to pick up the pieces after all the bad break-ups, and the last one had been the worst.

Yusuke had been fast asleep in bed when his phone had woken him at 2am in the morning. He'd expected it to be his boss, perhaps calling about some emergency, or his girlfriend in some kind of trouble, but instead it had been a sobbing and incoherent Shuichi. Yusuke had immediately scrambled out of bed, grabbed the first set of clothes he could find and went straight over to Shuichi's apartment.

Only to find that he wasn't there. Yusuke knew that his friend's favourite cafe was closed at this time of night, as was the library so he went to the only other place he could think of that Shuichi might go. The park.

Shuichi was there, huddled under his favourite sakura tree, knees pulled up to his chest and his face hidden in his arms. Yusuke sat down beside him, making sure his shoulder touched Shuichi's in a silent attempt at comfort. He had no idea what to say to the crying man. He was never any good at dealing with emotions. Not his own and not anyone else's. He was personally glad that the relationship was over as he hadn't liked Shuichi's boyfriend, but sad that his friend was so upset by the break-up.

Eventually Shuichi calmed down enough for Yusuke to take him back to his apartment. He spent the night on Yusuke's couch. In the morning he had acted like nothing had happened. As if everything was normal and he was completely fine. Yusuke knew better. But there was nothing he could do.

He was determined to keep Shuichi from harm if he could. He hated seeing the redhead upset and just wished that he could find someone nice, someone who'd take care of him. He was sure that Shuichi wouldn't find anyone like that at that club though. What the hell was Koenma thinking, sending him in there alone? It was a cruel thing to do. Shuichi might have had experience in BDSM but it wasn't a good kind of experience. He wished that Shuichi had never mentioned his previous relationship to Koenma when their boss had proposed the plan. He wished he had volunteered for it first.

-0-

Shuichi was already at the cafe when Yusuke and Kuwabara showed up. Yusuke wasn't surprised. Shuichi was always early to all of his appointments.

He was sipping a cup of tea and reading a book when they approached his table. Yusuke tapped him on the shoulder and he looked up with a smile.

"How're you doing, buddy?" Yusuke asked, by way of greeting.

"I am well," Shuichi told him. He really did seem happy, Yusuke thought. "Where is Keiko? I thought you would bring her as well," Shuichi asked.

"Shopping with her girlfriends," Yusuke said. "They're spending the weekend together."

"It would have been nice to see her," Shuichi said, "but I'm sure she'll have a wonderful time with her friends."

Kuwabara and Yusuke took chairs at the table and ordered drinks.

"Have you made any progress on your rape case?" Shuichi asked after the other men's drinks had arrived.

"Nah," Kuwabara sighed. "I don't think we'll get the guy. Even if we figure out who it is, I think the boy is too terrified to identify him. Which is the only way we can get the conviction to stick."

"I'm sorry," Shuichi said truthfully. He hated to leave cases unsolved.

"What about you?" Yusuke asked. "How are you going with Koenma's assignment?"

"No progress," Shuichi admitted. "I've been to that club almost every night this week but I haven't learned much. The person I've been... spending time with doesn't do drugs."

It was true. The one time Shuichi had tried to bring up the subject Hiei had bluntly shut him down. Shuichi hadn't wanted to bring it up again, in case he made the man angry. Shuichi didn't want to risk alienating him as he was his best source of information right now.

Yusuke didn't miss the pause in Shuichi's words. "Spending time with?" he repeated skeptically.

Shuichi frowned at him. It was a look that Yusuke knew all too well and he returned it with a frown of his own. "Are you seeing someone?" he demanded. "Someone from that place?"

Kuwabara looked between the two men, confused and nervous at the growing tension. Shuichi glared back at Yusuke.

"It is not your concern," he said stiffly.

"Like hell it isn't," Yusuke retorted. "I've been to that place. I've seen the kind of people who go there. Whoever this guy is, he's just leading you on. He doesn't really care about you. He's only interested in your body."

Shuichi stood up abruptly. "You don't know anything," he snapped defensively.

Kuwabara raised his hands, attempting to defuse the situation, as other customers were beginning to stare at them. "Shuichi, he's being a bit harsh," he told the redhead. "But I think he may have a point. You're working a case. You need to be really careful."

Shuichi turned his hard green stare to Kuwabara and the orange haired man gulped. He looked dangerous. "I can take care of myself," he said, before turning and making his way to the door of the cafe, leaving his half-empty teacup on the table.

"Shit," Yusuke said softly. He'd only been worried for his friend. He hadn't meant to make him angry or drive him away. But he simply wasn't the most diplomatic of people. He solved most of his problems with his fists, not his words.

"Will he be okay?" Kuwabara asked worriedly as he stared at Shuichi's form walking past the window.

"Eventually," Yusuke said. "He probably will be pretty distant towards us over the next two days or so though."

"You've known him for a while, haven't you?" Kuwabara asked curiously.

"Yeah. Since we were young," Yusuke said. "His father died when he was little and his mother died when he was in high school. He puts up a good front of being able to handle things but I think he depended on me a lot in those days."

"I think he still does," Kuwabara said softly.

-0-

Shuichi drummed his fingers on the bar impatiently. He was worried. It wasn't like Hiei to be late for their meetings. Even though Shuichi showed up early, Hiei was always there waiting for him. Today he was ten minutes late.

The bartender gave Shuichi a look as he passed and Shuichi shook his head at the man. The bartender had already asked him twice if he wanted a drink and he'd refused both times. He wished that Hiei would hurry up and get here. He was starting to feel uncomfortable.

Someone sat down on the stool beside Shuichi. He glanced over to see that it was a dark haired man wearing a suit. The man turned his head to meet Shuichi's gaze and Shuichi looked away, embarrassed.

"You new?" the man asked him. "I haven't seen you here before."

"Yes," Shuichi said. "I suppose. I have been coming here for about two weeks now."

The man's features were sharp but handsome. His hair was long and dark. His figure was lean. Shuichi suspected that when he was standing, the man would be taller than him.

"I'm Karasu," the man told him, holding out a pale hand to Shuichi. Shuichi shook it. He wondered if there was an opportunity to make another contact here.

"I am Kurama," he said, giving the false name he'd already given to Hiei.

Karasu smiled, showing two rows of perfectly straight white teeth. "I'm pleased to meet you, Kurama," he said. "Are you here with anyone?"

"I am actually waiting for someone," Shuichi confessed, "but he is late."

The man looked disappointed. "Well, perhaps we could chat until your friend arrives," he suggested.

"I would like that," Shuichi agreed. "I haven't had the chance to meet many people here."

Karasu ordered a drink, insisting on also ordering Shuichi one. He tried to refuse but Karasu was adamant. Shuichi found that he was good company. He didn't seem to mind answering Shuichi's questions and telling him about the other regulars in the club. Shuichi had an urge to ask him about Hiei but refrained. He didn't think Hiei would appreciate him talking to someone about him behind his back. It also seemed to Shuichi as if Hiei didn't get along with most of the regulars here, which made him wonder why Hiei kept coming back here. Was it loneliness, or something else that kept drawing him back here?

"I work here," Karasu told him, "but I don't come onto this floor much."

Bingo, Shuichi thought, pleased by this turn of events. If Karasu worked for Sekyo then he was one step closer to his goal. Though he would have to play his cards carefully. If Karasu worked for Sekyo then he might well be party to the drug smuggling.

"What is your position here?" Shuichi asked curiously.

"I'm the owner's bodyguard," Karasu told him.

"That sounds like a risky profession," Shuichi said. Not that he could talk. His own job was very risky. Especially now.

"I'm very good at it," Karasu said, flashing him a smirk.

"Kurama."

Shuichi turned to see Hiei standing behind him. He wore an annoyed frown on his face. His eyes flicked to Karasu and he scowled. "Come here," he said, turning his attention back to Shuichi, though his expression did not soften.

Shuichi frowned. He was annoyed by Hiei's attitude but rose from the stool anyway.

"It was nice meeting you," he said to Karasu.

"See you around, Kurama," Karasu said, giving him a friendly smile.

Shuichi nodded before turning back to Hiei and following him through the crowd.

When they were alone in one of the rooms, Hiei said, "I don't want you talking to him again."

"Excuse me?" Shuichi asked, his annoyance growing.

"He's bad news," Hiei informed him. "Stay away from him."

Incensed, Shuichi said, "You can't tell me who I can and cannot speak to. That's not in the contract." His posture was rigid and his eyes hard.

Hiei took in his stance and realised that he'd made a mistake. It was too late to take it back now though.

"He's bad news," he repeated. "Be careful around him."

Shuichi frowned. It was a subtle compromise but he was still angry at Hiei's possessiveness. Their contract hadn't included a clause that said they would be exclusive, only that Hiei wouldn't allow anyone else to touch him during their sessions.

Hiei sighed. "This isn't a good way to start," he said. "Let's just sit down and have a drink. Nothing needs to happen tonight."

Shuichi nodded, relieved. He suddenly wasn't in the mood for their usual activities.

By the end of their time together, things were less strained between them. Shuichi had gotten over his anger at Hiei's possessiveness and Hiei had relaxed somewhat.

Shuichi was still worried though. If Hiei was so opposed to him speaking with the others in the club, then that would make getting information for Koenma difficult. As much as he enjoyed his time with Hiei, the case had to take priority. He might have to end the relationship in order to continue doing his job. He hoped it wouldn't come to that.

-0-

Karasu smirked as he watched the redhead leave with the dark haired man. The bartender gave him a knowing look.

"He's here almost every weeknight," he told Karasu. "But he's only been with that guy, Hiei. They seem pretty exclusive so far."

"We'll see," Karasu said thoughtfully. "Everyone has their price. What did you say that man's name was? Hiei?'

"Yeah, that's it," the bartender said.

"Thank you," Karasu said. He finished the last drops of his drink and left the bar.


	4. Chapter 4

Koenma had been giving Shuichi a lot of days off so that he could concentrate on his undercover work. He wasn't used to having so much time off. This day happened to coincide with Yusuke's day off and the black haired man had woken him up with an early phone call and promptly informed him that they'd be spending the day together. From the tone of Yusuke's voice, Shuichi knew that he didn't have any choice in the matter.

Rather confusingly, Yusuke had told him to dress comfortably. Shuichi wondered what Yusuke had arranged as he met the other man outside his apartment block. Yusuke was idly kicking an empty can around on the sidewalk. He looked up as Shuichi approached him.

"Hey, Shuichi," he said, abandoning the can.

Despite how badly their lunch at the cafe had ended, Shuichi didn't really feel any ill will towards Yusuke. Once he'd had some time to cool off, he'd realised that Yusuke was only concerned for his welfare, as any friend would be. The two of them had many such confrontations over the years that they'd been friends but they had always worked it out.

"Hello, Yusuke," Shuichi responded. "Where are we going today?"

"You'll see," Yusuke told him breezily.

Shuichi frowned at him but Yusuke only grinned devilishly. He was well aware that Shuichi hated surprises. He was the kind of person who planned everything. Yusuke, on the other hand, never planned anything. Except today.

Shuichi was very confused when they arrived at a dojo.

"Yusuke?" he asked. He knew that Yusuke was interested in fighting but Yusuke's style was self-taught and learned through experience rather than any kind of structured teaching. Shuichi used to take martial arts as a child but hadn't attended any classes for a long time.

Yusuke shoved him through the door of the dojo. "You need to learn this shit," he told Shuichi.

"But I can already defend myself," Shuichi protested. His job required it.

"Humour me," Yusuke said. "I don't like the idea of you being in that club without backup. This will make me feel better about it."

And there was the real reason, Shuichi thought. Yusuke must really be worried about him for him to go out of his way and arrange something like this.

Yusuke strode up to the front desk and spoke to the middle-aged woman sitting behind it while Shuichi looked around the room he was in. It was just a reception area. There were a few chairs against a wall and some trophies in a cabinet on another wall. He was about to go over and have a closer look at them when the sound of a door opening caught his attention.

He looked up, and was stunned to see Hiei entering the room. Hiei was obviously as surprised as he was. His crimson eyes widened and his steps faltered. He recovered quickly, striding over to Shuichi.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, confused.

At that moment, they were interrupted. "Hiei, these two are in your next class," the receptionist informed him as she walked up to him with Yusuke beside her. "They're new so look after them."

Hiei stared at Yusuke for a moment, then his gaze returned to Shuichi. "You're taking lessons?" he asked.

"Apparently," Shuichi said, glancing sideways at Yusuke.

"You two know each other?" Yusuke asked, looking from one to the other curiously.

"Yes," Shuichi said curtly, hoping that Hiei would keep his mouth shut. Hiei had enough sense to do just that. He got straight down to business, not giving Yusuke a chance to ask any more questions.

-0-

Shuichi's reprieve only lasted until after they left the dojo. Shuichi had really enjoyed the class. He was a bit rusty but he knew that he'd pick things up quickly. Yusuke had difficulty with the rules and structure but was trying his best. Shuichi suspected that he would only stay in the class long enough to be sure that Shuichi wouldn't quit, though.

"So, you and that guy…" Yusuke said as they walked to the train station.

"Yusuke," Shuichi said warningly.

"Oh, come on, man. I thought I knew all your friends," Yusuke whined. "Where'd you meet this guy and why didn't you tell me about him?"

"I don't really know him that well," SHuichi hedged. "We've only met in passing a few times." It was a lie and he could tell by Yusuke's expression that he didn't completely buy it. He knew that Shuichi wasn't telling him everything and was debating with himself about just how far he could push Shuichi before Shuichi became angry and stormed off again.

It seemed that he wasn't willing to push it at all today, much to Shuichi's relief. He let the topic drop, simply saying, "Invite him to lunch one day, okay? You know I gotta approve your friends."

Shuichi rolled his eyes. "Yes, Dad," he muttered. Yusuke grinned at him.

"So, you'll stick with the class?" he asked. "Because I've already paid and everything…"

"I'll stick with the class," Shuichi assured him, laughing softly.

"Good, because that money isn't refundable," Yusuke told him.

"Aren't you supposed to be saving up for a ring for Keiko?" Shuichi asked.

"Yeah. I know that's what I said but…" Yusuke trailed off, causing Shuichi to give him a concerned look.

"She's been acting a little weird lately," Yusuke confessed. "She goes out and won't tell me where she's going. I think she might be seeing someone else."

"Yusuke, that can't be right," Shuichi told him. He had known Keiko as long as he'd known Yusuke. Yusuke and Keiko had been childhood friends before they'd begun dating during high school. He had thought that their relationship was solid. "Perhaps there is some other explanation?" he suggested.

"Like what?" Yusuke asked, scowling down at the ground.

"I don't know," Shuichi admitted. The two of them lapsed into silence as they continued walking.

Yusuke left Shuichi at his apartment block, after giving him the schedule for his classes.

As he cooked his dinner that night he thought about meeting Hiei outside of the club. It had been unexpected and extremely coincidental. Hiei had treated him just like any of his other students, maintaining a professional distance between them. But Shuichi had caught Hiei staring at him with an intense gaze that both aroused and unnerved him. He wondered how their next meeting at the club would go.

-0-

Hiei was a little surprised that Kurama showed up for their arranged meeting at the club. After the trouble they'd had last time, he'd been wondering if Kurama would stand him up. He had seemed okay at the martial arts lesson. He hadn't been unfriendly in any way so Hiei hoped that he was over it.

Shuichi, Hiei thought with a frown as he made his way over to the redhead seated at the bar, relieved to see that he was sitting alone. He had learned Kurama's real name but had decided to continue calling him Kurama in the club.

Hiei was careful not to be late this time. He didn't want to give Karasu another chance to charm Kurama. Something about that man set off alarms in Hiei's mind.

Kurama had his back to him as he approached so Hiei touched his shoulder to get his attention. Kurama had been sipping at a drink. Hiei hoped it was water. From the look of it, it might be. Kurama looked up at him and smiled, a little uncertainly.

"Hello, Hiei," he said.

"You ready?" Hiei asked him.

"Yes," Kurama said, sliding off the stool. Hiei took hold of his arm, holding him close against him as he moved through the crowd. Kurama looked a little puzzled but offered no resistance.

From across the room a dark figure watched them with suspicious eyes.

-0-

Hiei waited for the redhead to finish his shower. He usually took a lot longer than Hiei. Hiei was now fully dressed and seated on a chair, idly tapping a finger on the arm of the chair as he waited.

The bathroom door opened, emitting a cloud of steam into the room and Kurama emerged from it, fully dressed in his dress shirt and slacks. He moved a little stiffly, Hiei noticed, but other than that he seemed fine. He caught Hiei checking him over and gave him a reassuring smile.

"I'm fine," he said, answering Hiei's unspoken question.

Hiei wondered if now would be a good time to raise the subject of moving their trysts elsewhere. Kurama had been resistant so far, but Hiei hoped that he was beginning to trust him.

"Kurama," he said, his serious tone making Kurama pause and stare at him. "I'd like to meet you outside of this place," he said quietly.

"Outside?" Kurama asked, not quite understanding what Hiei was asking.

"I know you feel safe here but…" Hiei trailed off.

Kurama's face paled and his eyes slid away from Hiei's. He began to tug nervously on the cuff of his shirt sleeve.

"I…" he said uncertainly. "Maybe we could just meet for coffee or something?" he suggested hopefully. "To start with?"

Hiei frowned. It seemed like a step back in their relationship from Hiei's point of view, but Kurama was looking skittish again. And he decided that he would like to spend more time with Kurama, even if that time didn't involve sex.

"All right," he agreed. Kurama looked relieved. He walked over and touched Hiei's shoulder lightly, smiling down at him.

"Thank you," he said.

-0-

They met at a small cafe near where Hiei worked. It seemed that Kurama had been here before as he had suggested the place. He was, as Hiei had expected, already seated and waiting for him when Hiei arrived.

However, he wasn't alone and he looked distinctly uncomfortable. Sitting across from him was a man about Kurama's age with short brown hair. He wore a suit and a briefcase sat on the floor beside him. Hiei didn't like the way he was looking at Kurama. He quickened his steps as he made his way over to the table.

Kurama saw Hiei and graced him with a relieved smile.

"Good morning, Hiei," he said. He turned his green eyes back to the other man. "I'm sorry," he told him. "My friend is here." He didn't say that the other man would have to leave now but Shuichi's companion got the message nonetheless. He rose from the chair and picked up his briefcase.

"It was great to see you again, Shuichi," he told the redhead. "We'll have to catch up sometime."

"Yes," Kurama said, his tone politely pleasant.

Hiei glared at the stranger as he hovered behind Kurama. He rested his hand on Kurama's shoulder. He felt Kurama shift a little under his hand but the redhead made no objection to the contact.

The man's eyes lingered on Hiei's hand, then moved to Kurama's face. His mouth turned down in a frown.

"I'll see you around," he said, his voice a little cooler than before. He left the cafe and Hiei heard Kurama sigh in relief.

"I'm sorry," he said to Hiei. "That was… someone I used to know."

Ex-boyfriend, Hiei guessed.

He sat down opposite Kurama. "What's good here?" He asked, choosing not to address the ex-boyfriend issue. It wasn't the right time.

Kurama pushed a menu over to him and Hiei looked through it.

"Most of the teas, I guess," Kurama said.

"I don't like tea," Hiei responded. "I prefer coffee."

Kurama looked surprised and a little sheepish. "We don't really know each other very well, do we?" He asked. "Outside of… you know."

That was true, Hiei thought. He knew absolutely nothing about the redhead except what little he'd gained from watching his reactions during their sessions.

"Is that why you wanted this?" Hiei questioned curiously.

Kurama looked surprised, as if he hadn't considered that possibility. "I guess so," he said finally.

Hiei wondered what that meant for their relationship. Did Kurama want more from him than just sex? Did he want that? He wasn't sure of the answer.

The waitress came by and they ordered their drinks. Kurama also ordered a salad while Hiei ordered a small cake.

Kurama raised his eyebrows when he heard Hiei's order. "Cake?" He asked as the waitress departed.

Hiei glared at him, daring him to object. "I like cake, okay?" He said, a little defensively.

Smiling, Kurama raised his hands in a placating gesture. "I'm not judging," he said. "I just didn't think you were that sort of person."

"Sort of person?" Hiei inquired.

"To like cake," Kurama said. "Sweet cake." His smile was broadening. He was obviously trying to clarify his statement but Hiei's expression didn't shift from his confused frown. He had a sense that Kurama was inwardly laughing at him. In that moment he wanted to wipe that smirk off the redhead's face with a hard spanking but the setting was hardly appropriate for that.

Kurama's expression sobered and he waved his hand in the air, as if brushing away smoke. "Forget about it," he said.

Hiei eyed him but said nothing more on the subject. He shifted the topic to their martial arts class and asked Kurama about his previous experience. It was obvious from the redhead's performance in Hiei's class that he had taken martial arts before and Hiei was curious about his history.

The rest of the lunch date went smoothly. Hiei enjoyed Kurama's company and Kurama seemed to be enjoying himself as well. His facial features and his posture were relaxed and he seemed less guarded than he did at the club. Hiei was glad that he'd accepted Kurama's suggestion. It had been a good idea.

-0-

Hiei was stunned when he received a request from the owner of the club, Sekyo, to meet with him. He'd never met the man and didn't think he even knew Hiei existed. Why the hell would he want to talk to him?

Sekyo's office was furnished with dark wood. The desk was large and looked old and very well cared for. Perhaps it was a family heirloom? Hiei felt distinctly out of place standing in front of the suited man. He couldn't stop his eyes from focusing on the scar on one side of Sekyo's face, though he knew it was rude. The scar was simply too distracting.

"Thank you for meeting me, Mr. Jaganshi," Sekyo said smoothly.

"Is there some kind of a problem?" Hiei asked bluntly, not wanting to be here any longer than he had to. He had no patience for people like Sekyo. People with too much money and not enough morals.

"Nothing that can't be sorted out, I'm sure," Sekyo said.

Hiei raised one dark eyebrow at him questioningly, not bothering to hide his irritation.

"The young man you've been seeing," Sekyo said, leaning back in his chair.

Hiei's posture stiffened, his muscles tensing. "What about him?" he asked suspiciously. He had a feeling that he wasn't going to like where this conversation was going.

"Shuichi Minamino," Sekyo continued.

Minamino. Hiei filed that little tidbit of information away. He now had Kurama's full name.

"A very interesting man," Sekyo went on. "Did you know that he is a police officer?"

"No," Hiei admitted. "I never asked about his profession. I don't see how it's relevant."

Sekyo studied him for several seconds, though Hiei refused to show how uncomfortable it made him feel. He would never give the other man the satisfaction.

"One of my employees has taken an interest in him," Sekyo informed him.

"I'm aware of that," Hiei said with a scowl. "But I don't see the issue."

"The issue is that Mr. Minamino seems quite fixed on you," Sekyo told him.

"Not my problem," Hiei returned. "If Ku-Shuichi wants to see Karasu, I can't stop him."

"But he won't. Not as long as you're in the picture," Sekyo said.

And now we come to it, Hiei thought sourly. "You want me to break up with him?" he asked. "Break the contract so that your man can get his hooks into him?" He balled his hands into fists at his side. He couldn't believe the arrogance and audacity of this man.

"Exactly," Sekyo said, looking satisfied.

"No fucking way," Hiei told him. He'd had enough of this stupid conversation and turned towards the door, but Sekyo's voice stopped him.

"You have a sister, don't you?" he asked, his tone bland as if he were asking about the weather.

Hiei felt his back go rigid. "Had," he said quietly, without turning around. How did Sekyo know about that? Stupid question, Hiei thought. Rich people had their ways of getting information. And it probably hadn't even been that hard. There were police reports and newspaper articles from that time about what had happened.

"Do you want to see her again?" Sekyo asked. Hiei could practically hear the smirk in his voice.

Hiei felt sick. He'd been looking for his sister for years, ever since she'd disappeared. He'd found nothing. Did this man know something? Hiei had a strong urge to beat it out of him.

"If you break up with Mr. Minamino and tell him nothing of this discussion I will bring your sister to you," Sekyo offered. "Of course, you also can't interfere in whatever occurs between Karasu and Mr. Minamino."

His sister. With him. Home, where she belonged. All he had to do was throw Kurama to the wolf. Hiei's chest tightened. She was his sister. He barely knew Kurama. the man had never even told him his real name. Hiei had to pry every last bit of information out of him. It was like pulling teeth. What did he owe Kurama, anyway? It wasn't like he was handing him over to Karasu or anything. He was only releasing Kurama from the contract. Whatever the redhead did after that was up to him. And, as a cop, he should be able to take care of himself.

On the other hand, he had no way of knowing what his sister had been through in the years she'd been missing. What if she was stuck in an awful situation, one she couldn't escape on her own? He knew he couldn't turn down this opportunity. If there was even a small chance of finding his sister he had to take it.

With a heavy heart he turned back to Sekyo. "Fine," he said quietly. "I'll do it."

Sekyo's face split into a smile. "Wonderful," he said. "Karasu will be pleased."

Hiei scowled. He hoped Kurama used the martial arts moves that he was learning in Hiei's class to break Karasu's nose. He found the mental image that conjured up very satisfying.

A surge of inspiration hit him. Perhaps he couldn't stop Karasu from charming Kurama into his bed, but he could damn well make sure Kurama could protect himself if he decided that he didn't like where things were going. He smiled to himself, pleased with the idea.


	5. Chapter 5

The next time they met at the club, Hiei took Kurama to one of the sitting rooms. He gestured for the man to sit down, choosing to ignore his confused look.

"What's wrong?" Kurama asked, taking a seat on the sofa reluctantly.

Hiei sat down across from him, wishing that he didn't have to do this. The worry on Kurama's face made him feel sick.

"I'm sorry," he started, then couldn't go on.

"Sorry for what?" Kurama asked, giving Hiei a puzzled look.

"I… have to end this," Hiei told him. He didn't know of any gentler way he could put it.

"End…?" Kurama's face twisted as he tried to understand Hiei's meaning.

"I'm sorry," Hiei said again.

"But… Did I do something wrong?" Kurama asked. Hiei could see that the other man was trying to keep his hurt from showing but he was doing a poor job at it. Hiei had spent enough time around the redhead to be able to read his emotions with decent accuracy.

"No, it's - I can't explain," Hiei said. "But it's nothing you've done." He couldn't meet Kurama's green gaze. He felt terrible about what he was doing to the redheaded man.

"I don't understand," Kurama said, sounding angry now. "This has come out of nowhere."

He was right, and Hiei felt awful. But the thought of finally being reunited with his sister was in the forefront of his mind. This was a sacrifice he had to make.

"I'm sorry," he said, lamely.

"Fine. If that's what you want," Kurama said, standing and striding towards the door.

It wasn't, but Hiei couldn't tell him that.

"I'll see you around, then," Kurama said, before he left.

Hiei didn't respond. He knew that Kurama was putting on a brave front, hiding his true feelings. He had to be hurting. But he was too stubborn to let Hiei know how badly it affected him. He wanted Hiei to think the break-up didn't bother him.

Hiei waited in the still room for several minutes before Sekyo entered. Hiei eyed the cigar in his hand with annoyance. He hated it when people smoked around him.

"I want to see my sister. Now," Hiei told him flatly.

Sekyo smiled smugly, "It's been arranged, if you'll just come with me," he said.

Hiei stood and left the room. As they walked through the main area of the club Hiei caught sight of Kurama, sitting at the bar and drinking what looked to be an alcoholic drink. Karasu sat beside him, one hand on Kurama's back.

Bastard moved fast, Hiei thought bitterly. He still hoped that Kurama had enough sense to tell the man to get lost. He knew that his first judgement of Karasu had been a little unfair, born more of jealousy than anything else. But now he felt more sure than ever that Karasu was up to something. And probably Sekyo was involved in it as well since he seemed willing to engage in bribery to facilitate his employee's relationship with Kurama.

Hiei shook his head as he entered the parking lot of the club, following Sekyo and his trail of cigarette smoke. It wasn't his problem anymore. Kurama, or Shuichi, or whoever the hell he was, would have to look after himself now. Hiei couldn't be seen to interfere or he would put his sister at risk and that was something that he simply couldn't do.

-0-

Shuichi exited the room and made his way back to the main club area. He was confused and hurt. He had no idea why Hiei had suddenly decided to end their arrangement. He had thought it was going well. Unless he had somehow misread the situation? He didn't think so.

He knew that his eyes were watering with unshed tears but he refused to let them fall. He wouldn't let Hiei see how much it was hurting him. His first instinct was to call Yusuke, as he usually did when something bad happened in his life. But then he would have to tell Yusuke about the nature of his relationship with Hiei. And to make matters worse, Yusuke knew where to find Hiei. Shuichi shuddered as he thought about what would happen if those two came into contact under such circumstances. It would likely end in bloody noses, and that would be the best case scenario.

He went straight to the bar and ordered a drink. It wasn't the strongest alcoholic drink on the menu but Shuichi still had to get home and he didn't want to brave the streets completely drunk. He just wanted something to take the edge off his pain for a little while.

"Kurama."

The vaguely familiar voice made Shuichi look up. He was surprised to see Karasu standing beside him, staring down at him with a perplexed expression on his handsome face.

"Is everything alright?" he asked. "You look a little upset."

Shuichi frowned. He thought he'd done a pretty good job of hiding his emotions.

"I'm fine," he said.

Karasu took a seat beside him and gestured at the glass Shuichi was nursing between his hands.

"That says otherwise," he said with a sympathetic smile. "Anything I can help with?"

Perhaps something good could come of this evening, Shuichi thought. Maybe he could use this chance to get some more information for Koenma.

He stared down into his glass for some time, as if he were considering his answer, then he looked back up at Karasu. "My boyfriend broke up with me," he said, letting a small amount of the hurt he felt into his voice.

Karasu rested a hand on his back. Shuichi couldn't help but stiffen. Karasu didn't seem to notice, though. "I'm sorry," he said, "but I'm sure you'll find someone else."

Like you, Kurama thought with a mental sneer. But he kept his thoughts to himself. He knew Karasu was attracted to him and he knew that he could use that. He just had to be careful not to allow it to go too far.

-0-

Sekyo took Hiei to a cheap motel. He was shown into one of the rooms. Inside, a young woman with teal-coloured hair sat on the end of the bed. Standing against the wall was a large dark-skinned man wearing a suit and sunglasses. He left with Sekyo when Hiei entered the room, leaving the pair alone.

The woman's eyes widened when she saw Hiei. Hiei was stunned to see that her eyes were the same blood red shade as his own.

"Yukina?" he asked uncertainly. She stood up and flew at him, wrapping her arms tight around his waist and pressing her forehead into his shoulder. After a moment's hesitation, Hiei wrapped his own arms around her thin frame.

Her shoulders began to shake and Hiei awkwardly patted her head, not really knowing what to do. After some time, she pulled away and wiped tears from her face. She smiled at him.

"Hiei," she whispered softly. Hiei felt tears sliding down his own cheeks.

"I've been looking for you," he blurted. "Where have="

She shook her head sharply. "Please, I… I don't want to talk about it," she said.

Hiei looked closely at her. She was pale and thin and wearing an old-fashioned but elegant blue kimono. Though she was older, he could still see traces of the little girl he remembered from his childhood. Her nose was the same shape and her eyes the same shade as he remembered.

"Can we leave?" she asked anxiously, taking hold of his arm. She held on a little too tightly but Hiei didn't raise an objection.

He swallowed. "All right," he said. "Do you have anything to bring with you?"

She shook her head and stared down at the floor. Hiei guided her from the room. He had to call a taxi as Sekyo had been the one to drop him off. thankfully, there was no trace of the businessman or any of his thugs near the motel when they exited. Yukina clung to him until they got into the taxi. She was silent for most of the ride, staring down at her hands folded in her lap.

"I'm sorry," Hiei said quietly. Damn, he was doing a lot of apologising tonight. The thought of Kurama and what he'd done to him sent a sharp pang of hurt through his heart.

Yukina glanced up. "It's okay," she said. "It's okay now." Hiei wondered if she was trying to convince him or herself. Maybe both. He decided not to ask her anything else tonight. She obviously needed some time to process things. She was home now, with him and that was what was really important.

-0-

Koenma glared up at Shuichi as he stood before his desk.

"No progress?" he demanded. "What have you been doing all this time?"

Shuichi frowned at his boss. "Undercover work can take some time," he reminded him. "If I move too quickly or ask too many questions, they may become suspicious."

Koenma still did not look happy but he accepted Shuichi's answer.

In an attempt to placate his boss, Shuichi said, "I have met someone who works directly with Sekyo. I am hoping that something will come of it."

Koenma gave him a nod, appeased for the time being. "Good," he said. "At least you're staying on track."

Shuichi bristled. "Of course," he said, a small hint of defensiveness creeping into his tone. Though that defensiveness was caused by a small amount of shame. He hadn't exactly been staying on track, given how much time he'd spent with Hiei and how close he had allowed himself to get to the other man. But that was over now. There would be no more distractions.

"Dismissed," Koenma said, turning his attention back to his never ending pile of paperwork.

Shuichi left the office to find Yusuke waiting for him, his jacket over one arm. "Ready?" he asked.

Shuichi nodded. "Just a moment," he said, going over to his desk and beginning to clear it.

"Just leave it," Yusuke grumbled impatiently. They were about to leave for the day and go to Hiei's martial arts class.

Shuichi gave him a disapproving frown. "We have time," he said, "and I don't like leaving it looking like a pig-sty." He let his eyes slide over to Yusuke's desk, which looked like a small tornado had hit it. Shuichi had no idea how Yusuke managed to keep the files straight since it seemed as though they were all mixed up to him. Yusuke rolled his eyes at Shuichi. He hadn't missed the small jab. Shuichi smirked at him.

"Just hurry up," Yusuke groused, grabbing a nearby chair and flopping carelessly into it to wait for his friend.

Shuichi took his time in a futile attempt to delay his next meeting with Hiei. He hoped that it wouldn't be awkward. He had every intention of behaving professionally and had to hope that Hiei would do the same.

-0-

Hiei acted as though nothing had happened during their class. Shuichi was glad, since he hadn't told Yusuke anything about his relationship or his breakup.

However, Hiei was unusually hard on him. He pounced on every single little mistake that Shuichi made and didn't let up on him until he'd gotten it right. Even Yusuke noticed.

Hiei's hard crimson eyes were focused on Shuichi with an intensity that made him nervous. He was sure the other man was just waiting for him to stuff this set of moves up. And he was so nervous that he just might do that.

"Hey, man," Yusuke said to Hiei, making Shuichi pause to watch them. "Chill out, okay? You're being really hard on Shuichi today."

Hiei scowled at him. "Mind your own business," he snapped.

Shuichi felt a surge of panic go through him. The last thing he needed was for the two men to start something in front of the entire class, most of whom had stopped to watch as well. Yusuke had no problem with getting into fights and Shuichi suspected that, if pushed, Hiei would not back down.

"Please," he said, putting himself between them. "Can we get on with the class?"

Yusuke regarded him with a frown. After a moment of consideration, he nodded and stepped back. "Fine," he said, though he didn't sound as though he was really fine with it.

"Thank you," Shuichi told him. He looked over at Hiei to make sure that he wouldn't pursue the matter.

Hiei was also frowning but all he said was, "Get back in place, Shuichi."

Shuichi did so, feeling relieved. The rest of the class proceeded without incident, though Yusuke often gave Hiei sour looks. Hiei was too focused on Shuichi to notice them.

-0-

"Bloody arsehole," Yusuke grumbled as they left. "What's his problem, anyway?"

"Let it go, Yusuke," Shuichi advised him as they walked along the pavement.

Yusuke glanced over at him. "You're too damn nice," he informed Shuichi. "You need to stand up for yourself. Don't take that crap from people."

Shuichi sighed, shaking his head. "You don't understand," he told Yusuke. "Sometimes confrontation doesn't solve anything. It can just make things worse."

"Works for me," Yusuke responded.

"Maybe so, but it is not how I prefer to do things," Shuichi told him.

"Don't I know it," Yusuke chuckled. "Your tricky mind has gotten us out of a few jams, hasn't it?"

Shuichi smiled, a little smugly. "That's true," he said.

Yusuke glared at him. "Don't go getting a big head or anything," he warned. "I've gotten us out of a few jams myself," he said proudly.

And that too, was true, Shuichi admitted, giving his friend a smile and a nod of acknowledgement. "We make an okay team, don't we?" he asked.

Yusuke slung an arm over his shoulders. "The best," he said firmly.

Shuichi tried to pull away and Yusuke released him, only to ruffle his red hair as he moved away. Shuichi glared at him but couldn't retaliate as Yusuke was now out of arm's reach and Shuichi knew from the light way he bounced on his feet that he would stay that way until he thought Shuichi was over his irritation. Rather than pursue Yusuke, he continued on to the train station, Yusuke following in his wake.


	6. Chapter 6

Hiei came home from his day at the dojo to find that his sister was busy cooking dinner for the two of them.

"Yukina," he admonished. "You don't need to cook for us."

She smiled brightly at him. "I like cooking," she said as she began to plate up the food. The scent that filled the room was heavenly, Hiei noted. He had never been a particularly good cook himself and rarely had anyone else cook for him.

Hiei had taken Yukina shopping that morning and she now wore one of her new outfits, a white dress. Over it she had an apron on. Her hair was tied back into a ponytail. Hiei still wore the clothes he taught his classes in. Loose-fitting pants and a sleeveless t-shirt.

"This smells amazing," he told his sister and was rewarded with another smile as she sat down across from him to enjoy her own meal.

It tasted as good as it smelled. Hiei wondered if it would be rude to ask Yukina to do the cooking all of the time from now on.

"It's so strange, being back here after all this time," she said thoughtfully. "The house still looks mostly as I remember it."

"I haven't been able to do much with it," Hiei admitted. He'd given Yukina her old room. It was still decorated in the same pinks and creams it had been when she was a child but the furniture was updated. Hiei suspected that she would eventually want to change the colour scheme, which was fine with him.

"Have you ever considered leaving?" Yukina asked curiously.

"Sometimes," Hiei replied. "The place seems too big for one person but it will be better now you're here."

She smiled at him. "I'm glad you kept it," she said. "It still feels like home. I think I'd like to stay here for a little while longer at least."

"Of course," Hiei told her. "You're welcome to stay as long as you want. Technically, you own half of this place."

She looked surprised at that. "I do?" she asked. She obviously hadn't considered that possibility.

"Yes. Aunt Rui left it to both of us," Hiei informed her. He was alarmed when her eyes began to water.

"Yukina," he said, half-rising from his chair to go to her.

"No, I'm fine." She rubbed at her eyes, then waved for him to sit back down as he hovered awkwardly. "I just… didn't think she… I didn't think that… anyone cared enough to…"

Hiei rose again and went to her, squeezing her shoulder. "We never stopped looking for you," he told her firmly. "We never gave up on you."

She reached up to lay her small hand on his. "Thank you," she whispered.

-0-

Shuichi returned to the club that night. Yusuke had wanted Shuichi to go out with him but he'd had to refuse. Yusuke had been disappointed but accepted Shuichi's excuse that he wanted a quiet night.

A quiet night would not be what he would be getting, he knew.

It was no surprise to him that Karasu was already seated at the bar when he arrived. As soon as the handsome man saw him, he waved Shuichi over and ordered him a drink.

"I'm glad you came back," he said. "I thought you might not, given what happened with your boyfriend."

Shuichi sipped his drink, then set it on the bar. It tasted a little bitter. He didn't really like it but he didn't want Karasu to know that.

"It was better than sitting at home alone," he said. "I don't see the point in moping around and feeling sorry for myself."

Karasu gave him a pleased smile. "Good for you," he said. "It's his loss, anyway."

Shuichi returned the smile. He didn't really know what to make of this man. He seemed nice and charming but there was something that didn't feel right to him. The years he'd spent working as a police officer had taught him to trust his instincts and his instincts were telling him to be wary of this man. He knew now that he would be foolish to dismiss Hiei's warning out of hand.

Karasu surprisingly did not enquire as to Shuichi's profession. That seemed odd to the redhead, as it was a common question when getting to know someone. Especially when Karasu had shared his own profession so readily. But then, maybe Yusuke was right. This man might well be stereotypical of the kind of people that Yusuke believed went to this place. Karasu might well be only interested in his body. Shuichi felt insulted by that, but knew it would also make his job easier.

The conversation flowed naturally, despite Shuichi's misgivings about the entire thing. Karasu seemed to have no reservations about discussing his own work, much to Shuichi's relief. He learned that Sekyo spent most evenings at the club but was usually never there during the morning. He filed that tidbit of information away, as it could be useful later on.

As the night wore on, Shuichi began to feel a little fuzzy. It had to be the alcohol, he thought. He wasn't used to such strong liquor. He couldn't even remember if he'd only had the one glass or two.

When Karasu's voice began to fade, Shuichi felt himself begin to slide off the stool. Hands quickly caught and steadied him.

"Shuichi?" Karasu's voice asked in his ear. His arm was around his shoulders, keeping him upright.

What? Shuichi thought dazedly. He hadn't told Karasu his real name. At least, he didn't think he had. The man's breath ghosted over his ear. His head began to list to the side. It felt too heavy for him to hold it up.

Karasu lifted him from the stool. Shuichi's world spun dizzyingly around him for a moment before he passed out.

-0-

Karasu carried the redhead's semi-conscious form to the door behind the bar marked 'Employees Only' and entered. The young man in his arms moaned, his head lolling.

"Shhh," Karasu murmured. He approached a door guarded by a man in a black suit wearing dark sunglasses, even though he was indoors. Karasu gave the man a nod. The man returned it and opened the door for Karasu. After Karasu entered he shut it behind him.

Karasu surveyed the room. It was a comfortable sitting room, with leather-upholstered furniture lit by soft lamps. The smell of cigarette smoke was strong, as both the occupants of the room were smoking. Two men sat opposite each other on the sofas. One was Karasu's boss, Sekyo. Sekyo sat with one leg crossed over the other, sipping from his wine glass.

The other was an associate named Tarukane. He was a rotund bald man in a dark blue suit. Both men turned their heads at the sound of Karasu's entry.

"It's about time," Sekyo murmured, setting his wine glass aside. He leaned back and loosened his tie.

"It took some time to take effect," Karasu informed him. The redhead gave another soft moan, his head slowly turning to survey the room with hazy green eyes.

Tarukane looked confused. "What is this?" he asked testily.

"A… trial run, you could say," Sekyo explained. "We've dosed this young man with that new drug you sent us. The more concentrated version of Lift."

Tarukane looked annoyed. "I assure you, it works perfectly," he snapped. "It is hardly necessary to test it."

Sekyo's eyes hardened. "I like to know that I'm getting what I've paid for," he responded. "And this young man… is a problem. He's a police officer who's been nosing around my business lately, probably looking for information about the drugs."

Tarukane paled. "Get him out of here," he snapped at Karasu.

"Calm down," Sekyo told him firmly. "If your new drug works as you claim, Officer Minamino here won't remember a thing tomorrow."

Tarukane frowned but relaxed. "Fine," he muttered, taking a large gulp of his wine.

"Bring him here," Sekyo ordered Karasu. Karasu carried the man over to Sekyo and set him down on his lap. Minamino blinked in confusion at him as he straddled the businessman. Then his head drooped, his hair falling forward as he slumped so his head rested against Sekyo's shoulder.

"We're going to have a little fun tonight, Officer," Sekyo purred, stroking Minamino's hair. Then he began tugging the hem of Minamino's shirt from his slacks. He began to rub the man's back under his shirt, enjoying the feel of the man's warm, bare skin.

He looked up to see that Tarukane was now smiling at him. "I normally prefer girls but he looks like a girl, doesn't he? I think I can make an exception," he said.

"Yes. Perhaps we should send a letter thanking Koenma for sending us such a pretty one," Sekyo smirked.

"I hear he likes it rough," Karasu advised the two men.

Tarukane gave a low chuckle. "What a coincidence," he drawled. "So do I." His fingers strayed to his belt.

Karasu left the room, leaving the men to their debauchery. He knew that he would be getting his chance to play with the lovely police officer later.

-0-

Shuichi woke slowly. The first sensation he felt was pain. His body ached. He thought that maybe he was laying on a mattress. He opened his eyes. The room was dim. As he looked around he recognised the decor as what was typical for the club, though this room seemed to be more upscale than the one he'd been in with Hiei. The furniture seemed to be of better quality and there were paintings on the wall that looked expensive.

A hand brushed his stomach and Shuichi stiffened. Ignoring the pounding in his head, he turned it to see Karasu laying on his side beside him. He was naked and his hair was loose and falling around his face. His eyes were half-lidded as he stroked Shuichi's stomach.

"Good morning, Kurama," Karasu murmured.

Morning? Shuichi wondered. What had happened to the rest of the night? Did he even want to know? He started to raise himself from the bed, eager to put some distance between himself and Karasu. He, too, was naked, he noticed.

He didn't make it more than two steps away from the bed. His legs felt heavy and didn't seem to want to obey his brain's commands. They folded beneath him and he crumpled to the carpet.

Karasu helped him stand and guided him to the bathroom. Shuichi felt humiliated. He hated being so helpless.

Karasu held his hair out of his face as he threw up into the toilet. His head still pounded. He rested it on the cold tile floor as he listened to the sound of water running. A wet cloth wiped his face and then the rest of him. Shuichi closed his eyes, too weak and sick to protest as he was cleaned.

Karasu dressed him and urged him to take some pills. The whole time his voice was calm and controlled, his touch gentle. It didn't put Shuichi at ease. It only made him more anxious.

Karasu showered and dressed, leaving Shuichi laying on the bed for a time.

The pills kicked in fast. Shuichi's headache began to fade and he started to feel stronger and more alert.

"What happened?" he asked as Karasu guided him to the door, keeping his hand on the small of Shuichi's back.

Karasu smiled at him. "We had a good time," he told him.

"I don't remember," Shuichi said. He stumbled a little in the hall and Karasu caught his arm to steady him.

"You had quite a lot to drink," Karasu informed him.

"No, I don't think…" Shuichi trailed off, uncertain. How much had he had to drink? He couldn't actually remember.

The main area of the club was quiet as they walked through it. It wasn't open at this time, Shuichi knew. The only people here would be the staff. He saw the bartender wiping down the bar. The man gave them a wave as they passed. Shuichi stared blearily at him as Karasu tugged him along.

"Will you be alright getting home?" Karasu asked him worriedly as they emerged into sunlight. "I can drive you home," he offered.

"No, that's fine." Shuichi waved him off. "It's not far."

That was true. His apartment was only two train stops from the club. And Shuichi wanted to get as far away from Karasu as he could. Immediately. Karasu watched him go, a secretive smile on his face.

Shuichi got a coffee at the small cafe at the train station and took his time drinking it before getting on the train. It helped clear his head. Something had definitely happened last night. Something that he wasn't okay with. His body still ached in odd places. He hadn't wanted to examine himself in front of Karasu but he knew that he would have to do so when he got home. He knew he wouldn't like what he found.

-0-

Shuichi stared at himself in the mirror, feeling sick. There were red marks and dark bruises on his body. He tried not to imagine how they got there, but the possibilities floated around in his mind anyway. He couldn't stop thinking about all of the things that Karasu might have done to him.

He dressed again and went to his phone. He dialled the first number he could think of.

He got no answer. He tried another number, not as familiar but memorised nonetheless.

"Hello?" a familiar voice asked.

"Yusuke?" Shuichi whispered, alarmed to hear his voice crack.

"Shuichi?" Yusuke's puzzled voice came over the line.

Shuichi stared blankly at the wall of his living room, trying to think of something to say. He couldn't. His mind had gone completely blank.

"Shuichi? It's you, isn't it?" Yusuke asked again, his voice rising a bit. On the other end of the line, Shuichi could just make out another male voice, probably asking Yusuke something.

"Shuichi, I'm coming over," Yusuke said. The other voice rose, sounding as though the other person were objecting. "Don't go anywhere," Yusuke continued. "Just stay there and don't let anyone in." Yusuke hung up the phone.

Shuichi put the phone back in the cradle and sank to the floor, hugging his knees. He found that he was shaking.

That was where Yusuke found him when he let himself into Shuichi's apartment. He was dressed in his uniform and he wasn't alone. Kuwabara stood several steps behind him looking confused and worried. Shuichi had forgotten that Yusuke was working today.

Yusuke knelt down beside him and put his hand on Shuichi's shoulder. "Come on, man," he said. "Up you get." He helped Shuichi to his feet and settled him on the sofa.

"Can you make some tea, Kuwabara?" Yusuke asked the large man, still hovering uncertainly in the doorway.

"Sure." Kuwabara's expression changed to one of relief as he was finally given some direction. Yusuke pointed him in the direction of the kitchen and Shuichi heard cupboards and drawers banging open as Kuwabara searched for the items he would need for the tea. Shuichi hugged a cushion to his chest.

Yusuke sat down across from him.

"What happened?" He asked with a frown.

"I, ah, I don't know." Shuichi stumbled across his words. "I can't remember. I was at the club and…"

"Shit," Yusuke muttered."I told you to be careful."

Shuichi's eyes hardened. His mouth turned downward and Yusuke raised his hands in the air, warding off the oncoming fit of temper. Belatedly, he realised that Shuichi had taken his statement to mean that Yusuke was blaming him for whatever had happened.

"Hey, calm down," he said. "I'm here to help."

Shuichi deflated, his shoulders slumping as his anger fizzled out. He knew that Yusuke was right.

"I think my drink was spiked," he said carefully.

"And?" Yusuke asked.

"And what?" Shuichi responded, unwilling to give any more details than he absolutely had to.

"Do you know who did it?" Yusuke inquired. "Do you have any suspicions?"

After a moment, Shuichi admitted, "Yes."

"Report it," Yusuke told him flatly.

"I'm afraid it isn't that simple," Shuichi told him. "The case-"

Yusuke's brown eyes flashed with anger. "This has gone too far," he snapped. "It's too risky. You need to back out."

At that moment Kuwabara entered, carrying a tray with a teapot and three cups. He set it on the coffee table and began pouring the tea, frowning at each of them as he did so.

"You okay, Shuichi?" He asked as he handed Shuichi one of the cups.

Shuichi smiled at him as he took it. "I'm fine," he said quietly.

"No, he's not, the stubborn bastard," Yusuke grumbled. Kuwabara sat down beside him and gave him an irritated look.

"Go easy on him," he told Yusuke. "Whatever's going on, I'm sure Shuichi can handle it."

"Thank you for your vote of confidence, Kuwabara," Shuichi told him.

Yusuke's expression was sullen but he said nothing further. He just glared moodily down into his tea cup.

Shuichi leaned back and savoured the taste of the tea in his mouth. It wasn't how he liked it but it wasn't unpleasant either. Kuwabara had done a decent job, considering he didn't know how Shuichi preferred his tea.

"What now?" Yusuke asked quietly. "You're going back, aren't you?"

"I have to. I'm close," Shuichi told him. "There's a chance I might be able to find something."

"Someone should go with you," Yusuke said, his jaw set stubbornly.

"No," Shuichi argued. "That will make them suspicious."

Yusuke set his cup down on the table. "You're gonna kill yourself," he snapped at Shuichi. Kuwabara edged away from him, sensing the conflict brewing in the air.

"It won't come to that," Shuichi responded firmly. Yusuke stared him down but Shuichi didn't look away. Finally, Yusuke broke the eye contact, looking down.

"Tell me when you're going and call me when you leave," he told Shuichi. "If I don't hear from you I'm going in there. I mean it." He gave Shuichi a hard stare, letting him know that he was serious.

"All right," Shuichi agreed, though he really didn't intend to do any such thing.

Kuwabara sighed in relief as some of the tension left the room. Yusuke wasn't quite satisfied with the arrangement but he seemed to realise that he couldn't push it any further.

"We have to go back to work," he told Shuichi. "Do you have any lunch plans?"

"No. I was just going to sleep," Shuichi told him.

"We'll come back here with some take-away, then. That okay with you?" Yusuke asked.

Shuichi smiled. "That's fine," he said. Truthfully he was relieved. His colleagues' company was very welcome right now. They would keep his mind from straying back to last night and the myriad of dark possibilities associated with it.


	7. Chapter 7

Shuichi hated going back that night. He hated pretending like nothing had happened. But if he hoped to close the drug case then that was what he had to do.

Karasu was again sitting at the bar when Shuichi entered. For someone who said he didn't go to that floor much he sure showed up a lot, Shuichi thought.

He looked surprised when he caught sight of Shuichi but he quickly changed his expression to a pleased one. He immediately gestured for Shuichi to join him.

"Good evening," Shuichi said when he reached Karasu. He noticed that Karasu was again drinking something that looked alcoholic.

"I was hoping you'd show up tonight," Karasu told him as Shuichi slid onto the stool beside him. "You want something to drink?"

Before he even realised what Shuichi was doing he was shaking his head. "No, thank you," he said. He did not want a repeat of last night, whatever the hell that had been. He thought he saw a flicker of disappointment on Karasu's face but it was gone before he could really be sure.

"How are you feeling? Not too sick?" Karasu asked him, his tone concerned.

"I'm fine," Shuichi lied, trying to sound bright. "I slept for a while today and I feel better."

"Good," Karasu said. He sipped from his glass. "Not working today then, I guess?" he asked.

Shuichi did his best to hide his unease at the unexpected question. "My job is flexible," he said, hoping Karasu would accept the vague answer and not pry into that subject any further. Why was he asking about it now?

"You're lucky, then," Karasu said. "My boss is calling me all of the time. He seems to think I'm his personal assistant as well as his bodyguard."

Shuichi smiled sympathetically. "But I bet the pay is good," he said.

"That it is," Karasu agreed. "And the perks aren't bad, either."

Shuichi talked with Karasu for a while longer. When Karasu suggested that they take the discussion somewhere more private, Shuichi hesitated. It was true that the main floor of the club wasn't the best place for conversation but Shuichi didn't want to be alone with the other man.

Shuichi was just considering making his excuses and leaving for the night when he heard a phone ring. Karasu reached into his pocket and pulled out a mobile phone.

"Excuse me," he said to Shuichi, who simply nodded in response. Karasu turned away from him and answered the call. From the gist of it, Shuichi guessed that it was his boss calling. When Karasu snapped the phone closed and put it back in his pocket, he turned to Shuichi.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I have to pick up something from my boss's office."

Shuichi adopted a disappointed expression. "That's a shame," he said.

"Would you like to come with me?" Karasu asked. "It won't take long. I can drop you home on my way to my boss's house."

Shuichi tried to keep his face neutral. "No, that's all right. I would not want to be any trouble," he said. Though secretly he was hoping to get a look at Sekyo's office. Even just getting a chance to scope out the security protecting it would be a boon.

Karasu gave him a smile. "It's no trouble at all," he said. He stood and offered his hand to Shuichi. Shuichi took it and let Karasu pull him into the crowd. Karasu slid an arm around his waist and Shuichi did not object. He noticed how people edged out of Karasu's way as they made their way to a door behind the bar. It was marked 'Employees Only'.

To Shuichi's surprise the door was not locked. Karasu simply turned the knob and opened it. Karasu noticed his surprised look and chuckled.

"The bartender keeps an eye on who comes back here," he told Shuichi. "And the money doesn't get kept here overnight." He guided Shuichi down a poorly lit corridor. The walls were bare of decoration or ornament. They passed several doors before Karasu stopped at the last one. He opened it and went in. Shuichi followed him as Karasu flicked on the light.

The room beyond was indeed an office. A large dark wood desk had pride of place in the room. There were two chairs in front of it and one behind it. Files were strewn haphazardly across the desk. Karasu went straight to the desk and began flipping through the files, growling about how disorganised his boss was.

Shuichi joined him at the desk, trying to not stare too obviously at the papers. He didn't touch them but instead tried to memorise the portions of the documents that were in his view. He noticed that one name came up frequently. Tarukane. Another term also came up often, usually in association with Tarukane. The 'Black Black Club'.

Shuichi had heard of Tarukane. He was another wealthy businessman though Shuichi had not been aware that Sekyo's corporation had any dealings with him. And he had never heard of the 'Black Black Club'. Was it some place where rich people gathered, he wondered. Or was it code for a certain group of people? He made a mental note to pass the information on to Koenma.

"Kurama?"

Shuichi looked up to see Karasu eyeing him strangely. Shuichi realised that, in his contemplation, he'd been staring down at the papers on the desk. Rather obviously staring. Karasu held a fat file in his hands.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Shuichi said. "I'm a little tired. I spaced out for a moment."

Karasu frowned. "I'd better get you home, then," he said. "I've got what I need. We can go now."

He walked to the door and waited for Shuichi to precede him before he turned out the light and closed the door. He tucked the file under his arm and took hold of Shuichi's arm, guiding him down the corridor.

-0-

The parking lot of the club was poorly lit but Karasu seemed to know where he was going. Shuichi followed along wondering if this was a wise course of action. He was about to make his excuses to Karasu and leave when Karasu's mobile phone rang again. Shuichi jumped, startled by the loud sound as it echoed around the open space.

Karasu gave him an apologetic look as he pulled the phone out of his jacket. "Sorry," he said. "It's my boss again." He took several long strides away from Shuichi and answered the call, keeping his voice low. Shuichi couldn't make out what he said but the call was short. Less than a minute later Karasu returned to him.

"There's been a slight change of plans," he said, smiling at Shuichi. Shuichi felt himself instinctively recoiling from that smile though he wasn't sure why.

"Change of plans?" He inquired. "I don't want to be an inconvenience. I'll find my own way home."

Karasu's smile widened. "Oh, no," he said. "I'll be taking you home."

The sound of the file Karasu had been holding hitting the concrete floor made Shuichi jump. Then Karasu reached into his jacket and pulled out something small and black. Shuichi gulped and took a step back when he realised that it was a gun.

"Kneel," Karasu ordered him.

"W-what?" Shuichi asked, his tone confused. He silently prayed that Karasu would buy his innocent act. He hadn't brought his own police-issue gun with him because if anyone saw it that would be a dead giveaway that he was a cop. He took another step back, putting more distance between them.

Karasu pointed the pistol directly at his chest. "Don't play dumb, Officer," he growled. "On your knees."

Shuichi slowly sank down, his knees resting on the hard concrete, his eyes never leaving the gun in Karasu's hand. It followed him down until it was pointing at his head.

"Good," Karasu said. "Put your hands behind your back."

"Why are you doing this? I don't understand," Shuichi said. "What did I do?"

Karasu stepped around him, reaching underneath his jacket again, though by the time he retrieved whatever he was searching for, he was behind Shuichi. Shuichi felt handcuffs being snapped around his wrists. Karasu grabbed the back of his shirt collar and tugged. Shuichi staggered to his feet, his hands cuffed behind him.

"It doesn't matter what you did," Karasu informed him as he pushed Shuichi along in front of him. He paused briefly to retrieve the file he'd dropped. "It matters what Sekyo thinks you did. He doesn't like cops poking around in his business. He wants you taken care of."

"I haven't done anything," Shuichi protested. "I was just…"

Karasu laughed as he opened the boot of a black car. "Innocently looking for a little fun? Some release from your stressful job?" He sneered. "Don't worry. We'll have plenty of fun together. Now get in." He poked Shuichi in the small of his back with the gun.

Seeing no other option, Shuichi obeyed. The lid of the boot slammed down, leaving Shuichi in pitch darkness. The space was cramped and smelled unpleasant. As he heard the car start and felt it vibrate underneath him he searched blindly for any sort of a latch that might open the boot from the inside but he found nothing. At least nothing that was within reach of his cuffed hands. There was also nothing that he could use as a weapon, only what seemed to be a folded up blanket beneath him, perhaps a picnic blanket. The idea of someone like Karasu going on a picnic was laughable.

At that moment Shuichi wished that he had a mobile phone like Karasu. It would have come in really handy right then. They were new and expensive. Far beyond Shuichi's budget, but he made a mental note to put in a request to Koenma anyway. If he ever made it out of this situation alive.

-0-

The drive was long. Shuichi tried to count the turns and memorise them but quickly lost track. The discovery that he was somewhat claustrophobic was an unpleasant one. He could feel his breathing and heart rate quicken as he began to panic in the small dark space.

It was almost a relief when the car stopped and Karasu dragged him from the boot. He stumbled blindly up several steps. Karasu kept him in front of him as he unlocked his door and shoved Shuichi inside the house. He didn't bother turning on the lights as he pushed Shuichi down the hall, so Shuichi didn't get a good look at the place but the house seemed large.

He stumbled into what appeared to be a bedroom. A double bed sheeted with plain white covers sat against the wall. The furniture was plain and there were no photos or anything personal around the room. A guest room, Shuichi thought.

"You don't have to do this," he tried as he heard Karasu lock the door behind him.

"But I do," Karasu informed him. He pressed his back against Shuichi and Shuichi stepped forward, eager to keep distance between them.

"What's the matter, Kurama?" Karasu asked. He wrapped an arm around Shuichi's waist and pulled him back against him. "We were getting along so well in the club."

Shuichi struggled, but without the use of his hands he couldn't break free. "Let me go," he demanded. "Let me go and I won't tell anyone. I promise."

Karasu lifted him and threw him onto the bed. "You won't tell anyone," he said, pressing Shuichi's face down into the mattress as he climbed on top of him. Shuichi thrashed uselessly under his weight. "I'll make sure of it."

-0-

"God damn it!" Yusuke groaned as he set the phone on his desk down. Kuwabara, who was leaning against the edge of the desk and eating a hot dog, gave him a questioning look.

"Still not answering," Yusuke growled.

"Yeah, 'cause he probably has a life," Kuwabara told him.

Yusuke looked over at Shuichi's empty desk. There was a neat stack of files sitting in the corner. The redhead had failed to turn up to work that day. Yusuke was furious that no one else seemed to be concerned about his colleague's absence, as he had already missed several days of work lately because of the case he was working on.

"Okay, sometimes he spends the night at someone else's place," Yusuke snapped. "But I just have a bad feeling about this. Especially after yesterday."

"You don't think…" Kuwabara trailed off.

"That he went back to that place?" Yusuke scowled, leaning back in his chair. "He did promise to call me if he was going there, but this is Shuichi we're talking about. He probably didn't bother calling."

"Maybe he met up with that guy he was seeing?" Kuwabara suggested hopefully. "Maybe he's still with him?"

"I sure hope so," Yusuke sighed. "Either way, I'm gonna kick his arse for making me worry so much."

-0-

Shuichi's mind was a haze of confusion and pain. The mattress beneath him was soaked with his sweat and blood. He couldn't remember what it felt like to be free of pain. His breath rasped in his throat. Swallowing hurt so much. He wasn't even sure how long he'd been in this room. His throat was raw and scarred from whatever Karasu had forced him to drink. From the smell of it, Shuichi suspected that it had been some sort of cleaning product.

His foot hurt terribly too. On the first day of his captivity he'd managed to break free of his bonds during one of Karasu's absences and had attempted to flee. Unfortunately Karasu had been in the kitchen and had heard him, despite his efforts to be quiet. Shuichi had been weak from blood loss and Karasu had overpowered him easily, though Shuichi had managed to give him a rather nasty black eye. Karasu had been furious with him and had decided to make sure that Shuichi could not run again. By crushing the small, fragile bones in his foot with a hammer. Though Shuichi had not had the opportunity to try, he had a feeling that his foot would not hold his weight any longer.

Shuichi pulled experimentally on the bonds tying his wrists to the bed. They were cloth. His wrists ached but he thought that maybe if he had enough time he could manage to pull one of his wrists free. If he had enough time. Karasu had not long left him but Shuichi had no idea if he was still in the house or had left it. He'd taken a chance the first time and it had failed. Was it worth the risk to try again?

Shuichi looked down at himself. His body was covered in bruises, cuts, burns and welts. Karasu had not even bothered to clean up the blood. It stuck to Shuichi's skin, standing out starkly against his pale flesh. He knew that he probably wouldn't survive another day here. Karasu would continue to torture Shuichi until he died. The fact that he hadn't yet fed Shuichi anything supported that conclusion. Though Shuichi didn't think that he could keep anything down anyway, even if Karasu did feed him. Shuichi had to try again.

He began to pull at the wrist that felt as though it had the most give. He ignored the pain it caused and kept at it. Eventually he was rewarded when he was finally able to wriggle his wrist free. He brought it down to get a look at it. It was red and bruised. He wriggled his fingers. They were undamaged. Freeing his other wrist was a lot easier with the aid of his already freed hand. Now came the really hard part.

Shuichi sat on the edge of the bed, his feet dangling above the floor. He lowered his right foot to the carpet and gingerly pressed down. He felt no flare of pain. He lowered his left foot even more carefully down, trying to avoid looking at it as he did so. As he put weight on it, pain shot up his leg. He bit his lip hard to hold back the scream. Tears leaked from his eyes and ran down his cheeks. He knew that it wouldn't hold him. He scanned the room, searching for anything that might be of use to him.

The cane. It was leaning beside the door. Karasu had used it to beat Shuichi during the first hours of his captivity. Shuichi could see his blood marring its smooth surface. He slid off the bed and onto his hands and knees, ignoring the pain. He crawled to the cane and wrapped his hand around it, using it to lever himself to his feet. He kept all of his weight on his right foot and used the cane to balance, his other hand pressed to the wall.

He hesitantly reached for the door handle. If Karasu had locked it, then Shuichi was in serious trouble. Picking it wasn't completely out of the realm of possibility but Shuichi had nothing with him that could accomplish that task. But his fears were unfounded as the knob turned under his hand. The door creaked open. Shuichi pressed his ear to the crack, listening for any sound. When he heard only silence, he entered the hall beyond.

His cane thudded along the floor as he moved towards the kitchen. It sounded far too loud for Shuichi's liking. His heart thudded in his chest. At any moment he expected Karasu to leap at him from out of the shadows or around a corner.

His goal was no longer to escape the house. Without a car, that was impossible. If Karasu had left the house as Shuichi now suspected that he had, then he had taken the car with him. His injured foot would no longer allow him to escape under his own power.

So instead Shuichi found Karasu's house phone. It was sitting in the living room on a small table. Shuichi dialled a number that his mother had drilled into him as a small child.

Only when the call connected did he realise that he had another problem. His first attempt to speak was entirely unsuccessful. His throat was too badly damaged. All he could manage was a hoarse croak.

"Hello?" A woman's voice asked. "Is someone there?"

Shuichi slumped to the floor, cradling the phone against his ear. Please, please, please, he prayed silently. It was becoming harder to breathe and darkness was creeping across his vision. The pain was dulling, and while that was nice, Shuichi knew that it wasn't a good thing. He could feel something wet on his stomach and guessed that one or more of his wounds had opened up and was bleeding profusely.

"Hello?" The voice on the phone asked again. It was the last thing Shuichi heard before he lost consciousness.


	8. Chapter 8

Yusuke stared down at the phone in his hand. Keiko walked into the living room and frowned at him. She was dressed in her pyjamas and her hair was mussed. The ringing of the phone had woken her up as well, Yusuke realised.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I have to go," he said. He tried to set the phone back in the cradle but it slipped from his fingers and landed on the tabletop.

"Yusuke, it's past midnight," Keiko protested. She walked over and picked up the phone, setting it back in the cradle. She touched his arm, looking worried.

"It's Shuichi," Yusuke said numbly.

"I'll get the car keys," Keiko said. "You're not driving."

Yusuke would have protested at any other time but he knew Keiko was right. He was in no fit state to drive a car. He felt a surge of gratitude for her. Despite the fact that they hadn't exactly been getting along lately, she wasn't asking questions. She was just trying to support him. Shuichi was as much her friend as he was Yusuke's.

The car ride to the hospital was quiet. Keiko didn't ask what had happened to Shuichi, though Yusuke knew that she had to be beside herself with worry. Yusuke was glad because he wasn't even clear on what had happened or Shuichi's condition. Koenma had been infuriatingly vague and curt on the phone. Perhaps he didn't know anything either.

Koenma was in the waiting room when Yusuke entered. He looked exhausted. His brown hair was sticking up all over the place as if he'd just gotten out of bed. Yusuke knew that he didn't look any better. He had pulled on sweatpants and a t-shirt before he'd answered the call and Keiko had made him get a coat before they'd left. Keiko was wearing slacks and a blouse. She'd laid them out for the next day so they had been within easy reach. She kept rubbing her eyes and yawning though.

"What happened?" Yusuke demanded as he reached Koenma. He scowled at his boss.

"I don't know," Koenma said. "He was found badly hurt in a house on the outskirts of town. That's all I've been told."

Yusuke grabbed Koenma's collar and jerked the other man forward. "This is all your fault," he growled. "You sent him into that place without backup."

"Yusuke." Koenma pried Yusuke's fingers from his collar. "This helps no one."

"Yusuke." Keiko's hand rested on his shoulder. "Come on. Let's just sit down and wait for the doctor."

Yusuke stepped away from Koenma but he knew he couldn't just sit patiently and wait for news. He paced the floor restlessly.

Both Koenma and Keiko sat down. They watched Yusuke with bleak expressions.

After what seemed like hours, a white-coated man approached them. His eyes scanned over them. He wore a frown on his face.

"You here for Shuichi Minamino?" he asked.

Koenma stood but Yusuke shoved in front of him. "Yeah," he said. "Is he okay?"

Koenma sighed but didn't object to Yusuke's behaviour.

The doctor didn't answer immediately. Fear rose inside Yusuke.

Finally the doctor spoke. "The surgery went well but he's slipped into a coma," he said. "Given the trauma he's suffered, it's not surprising. We have him on life-support right now."

Behind Yusuke, Keiko let out a sob.

"W-what?" Yusuke asked.

The doctor continued. "The life-support is so that his body has a chance to rest and heal. We want to give him the best chance of recovery."

"Shit," Yusuke said softly. How - how bad is it?"

The doctor's frown deepened. "It's bad," he said softly. "I've been working in this field for ten years and I've never seen anything quite this disturbing. This was… deliberate."

Yusuke swallowed.

"But he'll be okay, right?" he pressed. That was his only concern right now.

"His condition is delicate," the doctor said. "It could go either way. We'll have to do more surgery but we will wait until his condition is more stable. His foot, in particular, will be a difficult operation. We have him in ICU right now and he's getting the best of care."

Yusuke collapsed into the chair. Keiko squeezed his hand.

"He'll be all right," she told him. "Shuichi's tough."

"Are you his next-of-kin?" the doctor asked Yusuke.

Yusuke looked up at him. "Yeah. I guess so. Can I see him?"

"Yes," the doctor said. "He's just down here. Later, the nurses will have some paperwork for you to sign."

Keiko and Koenma remained in the waiting room as Yusuke followed the doctor down the hall.

"How did this happen?" Keiko asked. She sounded bewildered.

Koenma had no answers for her. He knew that, indirectly, he was responsible for this. But Shuichi had not been ignorant of the risks when he'd taken the job. Being a police officer was a dangerous occupation. Things sometimes went wrong. He still felt guilty though.

-0-

Hiei was startled to see Yusuke arrive alone for his class. Yusuke also seemed distracted and stand-offish. Hiei cornered him immediately after class, before he had a chance to escape.

"What?" Yusuke scowled at him.

Hiei refused to be intimidated. "Where's Ku-Shuichi?" he demanded.

Yusuke's eyes widened. "You don't know?" he asked.

"Know what?" Hiei inquired, growing concerned.

Yusuke's face fell. "Shit," he muttered. "I suppose you wouldn't know. I didn't really think." He ran his hand through his dark hair, which was sticking up as he hadn't bothered to gel it that morning. He also had dark circles under his eyes.

"Yusuke," Hiei snapped, his irritation showing in his sharp tone.

"He's in the hospital," Yusuke said quietly. "He's in a coma."

Hiei felt like someone had punched him. He knew from the somber look on Yusuke's face that he wasn't joking.

"How? Why?" he asked.

"Something to do with a case he was working on," Yusuke said. "I can't really say anything else. We don't even know much, anyway." He scuffed his shoe on the ground, frowning.

"Which hospital?" Hiei asked.

-0-

Yukina insisted on accompanying Hiei to the hospital, much to his surprise. It only occurred to him when they arrived at the hospital that Yukina had rarely left the house. She refused to do so, unless in his company. She had never given him a reason why.

The news about Hiei's friend had upset her. Hiei had not informed her of the fact that the two of them had been in an intimate relationship. He had simply stated that Shuichi was a friend. Yukina had insisted that they buy some flowers before going to the hospital. Hiei was glad that she was with him because there was no way he was walking through the hospital carrying a bouquet of flowers. There was no way he would even have been game enough to buy them in the first place.

Yusuke had told Hiei what room Shuichi was in so they bypassed reception and went straight to the elevator. They took it up to the third floor and made their way down the white hall to Shuichi's room.

Hiei felt sick when he saw him. Shuichi lay in the bed, his body covered in tubes and wires. A steady beeping noise came from the machine monitoring Shuichi's vitals. From what Hiei could see of Shuichi's face, he looked very pale.

Yukina placed the flowers she'd bought in a vase, tucking it in beside another bouquet.

Hiei reached out and touched Shuichi's hand where it rested on the white sheets. It felt cold. He wrapped it in his own. He noticed that Shuichi's thin wrist was marred by dark bruising.

Yukina stood by his side, saying nothing.

"I should have done something," Hiei said quietly. He didn't know if he were talking to Yukina, or to Shuichi, or to no one in particular.

"This isn't your fault," Yukina told him, her voice gentle.

"I tried to warn him, but I don't think I was clear enough," Hiei said. "I should have done something more."

"Stop it," Yukina told him, her voice now firmer. "What's done is done. What matters is what you do now."

Hiei looked at her. At her dark eyes so much like his own. He wondered what they had seen. She'd grown up, without him. She wasn't the naive little girl he still pictured when he heard her name.

"I'm sure he'll be okay," Yukina continued.

Hiei knew that she was trying to make him feel better and he appreciated the effort, but he found it hard to believe her words. Shuichi looked so small and fragile in the hospital bed. Hiei vowed to find Yusuke and figure out what had happened. Who was responsible for this? Did it have something to do with Karasu? Hiei had gotten bad vibes from the man but he never thought that Karasu would do anything like this.

And what had Yusuke said about it involving a case that Shuichi was working on? Did Shuichi's current case involve the club in some way? It made sense. It neatly explained Shuichi's uncertain behaviour when Hiei had first met him. It also explained why he'd ignored Hiei's warning about Karasu and continued to humour the man's advances.

And of course it explained Sekyo's actions as well. He hadn't just been doing a favour for an employee. Karasu likely had orders to investigate Shuichi. Which was why he'd wanted Hiei out of the way.

And what did that mean for their relationship? Was Hiei only a means to an end for Shuichi? Was he just using him to get information? Did Shuichi feel anything at all for him, or was it all just an act?

Hiei scowled at the still body on the bed. "You just had to go and make things complicated, didn't you?" he muttered sourly.

Yukina gave him a confused look and he shook his head, not willing to explain his thoughts to her. She sighed and went to the window, staring out at the cityscape beyond. Hiei's eyes remained on Shuichi's pale, bruised face, searching for any sign of life there. As minutes ticked by, the beeping of the machine monitoring Shuichi's condition seemed to grow louder, irritating Hiei's ears. Finally he stood.

"Let's go," he said gruffly to Yukina.

"What?" she asked in surprise, turning from the window.

He took her arm and tugged her towards the door. At that moment a nurse walked in. She smiled at both of them. Hiei hastily stepped out of her way, pulling Yukina against him so the woman could get past.

"Sorry to bother you," the nurse apologised. "I just need to check him over and then I'll leave you alone."

"We were just leaving," Hiei told her.

She paused, her hand hovering over one of the IVs in Shuichi's arm.

"Well, it was nice of you to visit," she said, looking back at him. "I'm sure that Mr. Minamino appreciates it."

Hiei couldn't help himself. "He doesn't even know I'm here. He's asleep," he said.

The nurse straightened and turned. "I've had some patients who've woken up from comas tell me that they were aware of the presence of their loved ones," she informed him. "Don't be so sure that he doesn't know you're here."

Hiei frowned. Yukina gave his arm a gentle squeeze. She smiled kindly at the nurse.

"Thank you," she said. "We'll come back tomorrow."

Hiei glared at her but she ignored it as she guided him out of the room.

"You don't believe that, do you?" Hiei asked her as they walked down the hall.

She shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted. "But if you want to come back, that's okay with me."

Hiei sighed, his thoughts lingering on the memory of how cold Shuichi's skin had been. The bruises that had marred it. Anger rose inside him. His own hands had left bruises on that perfect skin, he knew, but Shuichi had consented to that. Hiei knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that whatever had happened to Shuichi to bring him to this state, he had certainly not consented to.

"Whoever is responsible for this should rot in hell," he muttered.


	9. Chapter 9

Yusuke entered the precinct and glowered at his colleagues working at their desks. Many of them had looked up to give him sympathetic looks. The general mood was somber. No one liked it when one of their colleagues was harmed in the line of duty.

One of them stood up to approach Yusuke, no doubt wanting to ask about Shuichi's condition, but Yusuke walked faster, bypassing the man on his way to Koenma's office.

His boss sat behind his desk looking just as unhappy as his employees. He looked up with a frown when Yusuke entered his office without knocking.

"Put me on the case," Yusuke said, without any kind of greeting.

Koenma's frown deepened. "I can't do that," he said.

"Yes, you can," Yusuke snapped, placing his palms flat on Koenma's desk and leaning forward, glaring at his boss.

Koenma was unmoved. "I can't," he repeated. "Another department has the case now."

"That's bullshit!" Yusuke exploded.

"I'm not happy about it either!" Koenma snapped, louder than he'd intended to. "But there's nothing I can do."

Yusuke sagged into the chair in front of Koenma's desk.

"this sucks," he mumbled. "Tell me you at least know who did this to him? Did they catch whoever it was?"

"No," Koenma said. "The house was registered in a dead woman's name and we've been able to find no living relatives or next-of-kin. Whoever had Shuichi must have seen the police there or been tipped off not to go back there. There was nothing there that might identify the owner. All the bills and utilities were in the dead woman's name."

"Tipped off?" Yusuke inquired suspiciously.

"Yes. We may have a mole," Koenma said, frowning.

"Here? No way. I know these guys," Yusuke protested. "No one here would do anything like that."

"It could have come from a different department," Koenma pointed out. "Officers talk to each other quite freely. Someone from another department could be talking to our people and passing the information along. Or they could have planted bugs."

Yusuke realised that Koenma looked tired. He had dark circles under his eyes and his hair was mussed as if he'd just gotten out of bed. Or not bothered to take the time to brush it that morning. Koenma's appearance was very important to him so it was unusual for him to look so unkempt. This situation was really stressing him out.

"Are you getting a hard time from the higher-ups?" Yusuke asked him.

Koenma ignored his question, asking one of his own instead. "How is he?"

"The same," Yusuke said. "No worse, no better."

Koenma nodded. "If it makes you feel any better, I want those bastards as much as you do," he admitted.

"It doesn't help," Yusuke returned, before standing up and striding out of the room.

-0-

Hiei visited Shuichi every afternoon, spending an hour with him before going home. There was no change in Shuichi's condition. His eyes remained firmly closed. He gave absolutely no sign of being aware of anything going on around him.

On the fourth day, Yusuke entered the room to find Hiei sitting there. He paused for a moment in the doorway. Hiei stared bleakly up at him. Yusuke took a step forward.

"The same?" he asked with a frown.

"Yeah," Hiei answered.

Yusuke took the other chair, dragging it over beside Hiei.

"Do you really not know what happened?" Hiei asked. "Surely you can't just let whoever did this get away with it."

Yusuke scowled at him. "You think I want that?" he demanded. "If I knew who the bastard was that did this, I'd wring the life out of him with my bare hands." He stared at Shuichi's prone form. After a moment, he added, "We got taken off the case. So I guess we won't get to find out anyway."

"I might have an idea of what happened," Hiei said quietly.

Yusuke turned to him, brown eyes alight with anger. "If you know something, spill," he snapped.

"That club Shuichi was investigating..."

"You knew he was investigating a club?" Yusuke asked in surprise.

"Not immediately," Hiei defended. "Not until..." he waved his hand at Shuichi. "This. I was going to that club when I met him. We... got to know each other. That was fine. But then one of Sekyo's employees started hanging around Shuichi. I assumed he was trying to hit on Shuichi but maybe it was more than that. Maybe he was checking him out for Sekyo as well."

"What was this slimebag's name?" Yusuke demanded.

"Karasu," Hiei supplied.

"Have you been back there since this happened?" Yusuke asked.

"No," Hiei said.

"I suppose people saw you with Shuichi, too," Yusuke continued. At Hiei's nod of affirmation, he said, "Can't have you going in and asking questions about Karasu, then. They were smart enough to figure out what Shuichi was up to so it won't take them long to realise why you're there."

"You could pass the information along to whoever has the case now," Hiei pointed out.

"Yeah. It just sucks that someone else gets to finish this," Yusuke muttered. "It should be us."

"I wouldn't really care if Karasu was caught or not," Hiei admitted, his eyes locked on Shuichi's prone form under the white sheets, "As long as Shuichi wakes up."

"Yeah, I guess," Yusuke agreed. "But I hope he does get what's coming to him. Bastard deserves it."

Hiei didn't say anything but he squeezed Shuichi's limp hand briefly. Yusuke's eyes lingered on Hiei's hand.

"He didn't say that he was seeing you," Yusuke said quietly. Hiei looked up at him in surprise.

"He kinda said that he was seeing someone from that place, though," Yusuke continued. "I suppose I owe you an apology."

"For what?" Hiei asked in surprise.

"I told him that the person he was seeing was probably only interested in him for his body," Yusuke admitted. "Sorry, man."

Hiei turned away. He was silent for some time before he said, "He is kind of hot, isn't he?"

Yusuke chuckled. "Yeah. It's so bloody unfair. Looks and brains."

"I can see how that might have made things difficult for you," Hiei deadpanned. "Given that you have neither."

Yusuke smacked him on the back of the head. "Can it, shorty," he said good-naturedly.

A small smile spread across Hiei's face. He wondered what Shuichi would think of their conversation, if he could hear it.

Yusuke's expression sobered as he regarded Shuichi. His red hair had been pulled back into a braid, probably to keep it from knotting up. Yusuke couldn't remember if he'd ever seen Shuichi braid it. He didn't think so.

"I really wish I could talk to you," he said quietly. "This isn't fair, you know."

Hiei decided that was his cue to leave. He stood and walked towards the door. Yusuke looked up.

"You don't have to go," he said.

"I've got somewhere to be," Hiei lied.

"Okay, then," Yusuke sighed. "Just…"

Hiei paused, waiting for Yusuke to continue.

"Look after him," Yusuke said quietly. "That's all he wants. Don't just use him like all the other assholes he's dated."

"Precisely how many assholes has he dated?" Hiei asked, his emotions a mixture of curiosity and irritation.

Yusuke smiled wryly. "You'll have to ask him," he said. Hiei glared at him. Yusuke returned his look, the smile fixed in place. Hiei turned on his heel and left the room.

-0-

Yusuke sat on the living room couch flicking idly through the channels on the TV as he waited for his girlfriend to come home. The sound of the door closing made him look up and towards the hall. A moment later Keiko entered. She carried several shopping bags.

Yusuke's first instinct was to ask her where she'd been but instead he said, "How was your day?" He was too tired to fight right now.

Keiko stood there staring at him for a long moment before she set her shopping bags down and joined him on the sofa.

"Yusuke?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"I have something to tell you," she admitted.

Yusuke felt a lump form in his throat. Was she going to tell him that she was seeing someone else? That she was leaving him?

"I'm pregnant," Keiko blurted.

"What?" Yusuke asked, stunned. It was so far from what he was expecting her to say that he couldn't process it.

"I'm pregnant," she repeated, though she didn't sound happy about it.

"Are you kidding me?" Yusuke asked.

"No, I'm not kidding," she said, sounding offended.

"That's great!" Yusuke said.

"It is?" She blinked at him, looking confused.

"Well, yeah, isn't it?" Yusuke asked. "There's nothing wrong with the baby, is there?" His tone was concerned now.

"No, no, there's nothing wrong," Keiko assured him. "I just… didn't think you would be happy about it. I mean, your job…"

"What does my job have to do with it?" Yusuke asked. "Is it the money?"

"No, it's just.. it's dangerous. Look what happened to Shuichi," Keiko said. "What if I have this baby and something happens to you?"

"Is that why you've been acting so weird lately?" Yusuke asked. "You were afraid to tell me? Or… were you thinking about having an abortion and not telling me at all?"

Keiko's silence was all the answer Yusuke needed. He sighed and reached over, giving her hand a squeeze.

"I can't promise nothing will ever happen to me," he told her. "But even if something does happen, I know you'll be a wonderful mother, with or without me."

A small smile formed on Keiko's face but her eyes glistened with tears.

"I don't want to be alone," she said.

"You won't be," Yusuke assured her. "You'll have this guy." He laid one hand against Keiko's stomach.

"It might not be a boy," she said, laughing.

"Yeah. It might be twins," Yusuke said teasingly.

"Don't say that! I couldn't handle two!" Keiko exclaimed.

Yusuke laughed at her and hugged her to him.

"We gotta tell Shuichi tomorrow," he said, leaning his head against hers.

"Mmmm," she agreed. Then, after a moment she asked, "Do you think he knows we're there?"

"I think so," Yusuke told her because he couldn't bear the alternative. The thought that Shuichi might be all alone, trapped in the darkness of his own mind was terrifying. And maybe some good news would help him in his recovery. Give him a reason to wake up.

The two of them sat there for some time, relaxed and happy in each other's company.

-0-

Weeks turned into months as Shuichi continued to sleep. His crushed foot was operated on, the bones carefully reconstructed, but there was no way to know if the surgery had worked until Shuichi woke up.

Hiei continued to visit him regularly, often accompanied by Yukina. That was how she met Kuwabara. It had been love at first sight, at least for Kuwabara. Yukina was much less certain of her feelings but it was obvious to everyone that she was flattered by Kuwabara's attention.

Kuwabara, for his part, was a perfect gentleman, despite his very public and brazen declarations of love. Hiei had once overheard the nurses talking amongst themselves about how sweet Kuwabara was. It made him want to throw up. If Kuwabara laid a hand on his sister, he promised himself that he would break the man's nose.

Yusuke thought it was hilarious and teased Kuwabara mercilessly. Eventually, Hiei found himself included in the teasing as well, when Yusuke realised that if Yukina and Kuwabara married, that would mean that Hiei and Kuwabara would be brothers-in-law. Hiei tolerated it only because it seemed to amuse Yukina as well.

Keiko had tentatively raised the subject of getting married before the baby was born to Yusuke. To his surprise, Hiei found himself listening to Yusuke's concerns as they sat by Shuichi's bedside late one afternoon.

"It's not a good time, you know," Yusuke said, frowning as he surveyed Shuichi's still form.

"Why are you talking about this with me?" Hiei grumbled.

"Because I used to talk about this sort of shit with him." Yusuke jerked his head at Shuichi. "But Sleeping Beauty's no help now." He scowled at the prone figure but Hiei knew that there was no malice behind it.

"Get married," Hiei advised him.

Yusuke turned to look at him, eyes wide. "Huh?" he asked unintelligently.

"If you wait you might never get the chance. Do it now," Hiei told him. "Life is too short."

"Yeah, but…" Yusuke turned his gaze back towards Shuichi. "We've been sort of planning it for a long time, I guess," he said. "Shuichi was always supposed to be a part of it. Doing it without him seems… wrong."

"So just go to the registry office and get married," Hiei suggested. "Then, when Shuichi wakes up, have a proper wedding."

"Hey, that's a good idea," Yusuke said enthusiastically, clapping him on the shoulder. Hiei glared at him but Yusuke ignored the ire in his eyes. "You're all right, man," he told Hiei.

Hiei slumped back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Whatever," he muttered.

-0-

Keiko was content with the idea of getting married at a registry office, though Yusuke knew that she was a little disappointed. What woman didn't dream of a white wedding with all the trimmings? But after he'd explained his reasoning to her, she'd understood. Her parents had paid for a lovely dress for her to wear on the day and they'd taken some gorgeous photos in the park, so she at least had nice mementos of the occasion.

Hiei was very annoyed when he found himself being dragged along by Yukina of all people, on a shopping trip for the baby. He was then forced to sit awkwardly by while Yukina had lunch with Kuwabara. His sister's eyes were twinkling merrily at him the whole time. He knew that she was fully aware of his discomfort.

"You need to get out more," she told him as he drove her home.

This, coming from someone who, until recently had rarely left the house, Hiei thought wryly.

"I do get out," he protested.

"You go to work," she countered. "And the hospital. That's it."

Hiei slammed his foot on the brake a little harder than was necessary as the light ahead of him turned red. "I'm busy," he said, hoping that she would drop the subject.

"What if he doesn't wake up?" Yukina asked quietly.

Hiei's stomach dropped. The possibility had occurred to him of course, but he'd been resolutely pushing it aside. His fingers clenched the steering wheel.

"He will," he said stubbornly, keeping his eyes straight ahead.

"But-"

"He will," Hiei repeated firmly, cutting her off.

She remained silent. After the light turned green and the car was in motion again, Hiei dared to glance over at her. She was staring out the window, her hands clenched in the fabric of her blue skirt.

She wasn't looking at him when she spoke but he heard her nonetheless. "I just don't want you to be alone," she said quietly. "I want you to have what I've found with Kuwabara."

Hiei said nothing, his eyes focused on the road ahead. He'd had it, but he hadn't known it at the time. And he'd let it slip away. Even if - when Shuichi woke up, there was no guarantee that he'd even want to speak to Hiei again after he'd broken up with him so suddenly. If he were in Shuichi's place, he was certain that he would not be able to forgive such a personal betrayal easily.

Yet he couldn't let go of Shuichi. Not until the man told him from his own lips that he wanted nothing more to do with Hiei. And certainly not until Hiei was able to apologise for hurting him.

-0-

Yusuke stomped into Koenma's office, annoyed at being called in just before his lunch break.

"What d'ya want?" he demanded irately, flopping down into one of the chairs and glaring at Koenma.

Who was… wait, smiling? Yusuke did a double take. Since when did his boss smile at him like that? He leaned forward in his chair, suddenly concerned for his boss's sanity.

"They got him," Koenma informed Yusuke.

Yusuke frowned. "Which him?" he asked. "Sekyo or that piece of shit Karasu?"

Koenma's smile widened. "Both," he said. "Unfortunately, Karasu probably won't receive a long sentence because without Shuichi's testimony we can't prove that he had anything to do with Shuichi's… condition. But we can charge him as an accessory to Sekyo's crimes. And Sekyo will be going away for a long, long time." Koenma looked very pleased with himself, like the cat that got the cream. "And soon we'll have his associates as well."

"Took you long enough," Yusuke grumbled.

Koenma's good mood evaporated into thin air. He glared at Yusuke. "Get out of my office, you ungrateful brat," he groused.

Yusuke stood up and left. As soon as he shut the door behind him a grin spread across his face. Kuwabara, who was waiting beside Yusuke's desk, gave him a wary look.

"Did you get a pay rise?" he asked curiously. "No, wait, that can't be it. You don't actually do any work around here."

When his words only caused Yusuke's grin to grow wider, Kuwabara became even more concerned. "What? What is it?" he asked.

"It's over," Yusuke told him. "Sekyo's going to jail and so is Karasu." Yusuke decided not to mention the fact that Karasu was unlikely to receive a long sentence as a smile spread across Kuwabara's face. He pumped his fist in the air.

"Yeah!" he cheered. "Let's go celebrate."

"It's only our lunch break," Yusuke pointed out. "Let's keep the celebrations for tonight. Then we can get out the good shit."

"Your place?" Kuwabara asked him as they exited the station.

"Nah. I'm gonna call up the shrimp," Yusuke said. "Maybe he'll let us come over to his place."

"I'll be able to see my lovely Yukina," Kuwabara gushed. Yusuke rolled his eyes.

"I don't know why Hiei hasn't murdered you yet," he mumbled under his breath.


	10. Chapter 10

Six months after Shuichi had fallen into a coma, Yusuke received a call from the hospital informing him that he'd woken up. Yusuke was at work and dropped everything to go to the hospital, leaving a stammering Kuwabara to explain his absence to Koenma.

When he arrived he found a nurse tending to Shuichi. Shuichi turned his head when Yusuke entered the room. The nurse turned as well, smiling at him. She patted Shuichi's shoulder.

"Your friend is here now," she told Shuichi. She started towards Yusuke. She lowered her voice when she spoke to him. "He can't speak very well so try to encourage him to rest," she told him. "Don't let him overexert himself."

"Is he okay?" Yusuke whispered back, concerned.

"He's fine," she assured him. "Just remember what I told you about his voice. His doctor will be by tonight to explain things to you in detail."

Yusuke nodded and stepped aside to let her pass. Shuichi's eyes followed her as she left and then moved back to Yusuke. Yusuke sat down in the chair beside the bed and laid his hand on Shuichi's thin wrist.

"Good to see you, man," he said, swallowing a lump in his throat.

Shuichi smiled, reaching over with his other hand to rest it on Yusuke's hand.

"Your boyfriend will be by later," Yusuke told him.

Shuichi's eyes widened. He opened his mouth but couldn't form any kind of coherent sound.

"Hey, hey, calm down," Yusuke told him. "It's okay. Calm down." Shuichi's fingers clenched around Yusuke's wrist. "Easy, man, easy. I'll get you a notepad later so we can talk, all right? Just relax."

Shuichi did relax, his grip loosening on Yusuke's wrist.

"I, ah, got some news for you," Yusuke said, hoping to cheer Shuichi up. Shuichi's green eyes focused on him intently.

"Keiko's gonna be so mad at me for telling you when she's not here," Yusuke continued. Shuichi raised one eyebrow in a silent inquiry. "We got married," Yusuke told him. "And she's pregnant."

A moment later Shuichi was struggling to sit up, his hands clinging to Yusuke's shirt as he tried to hug him. Yusuke stood, leaning over him and laughing as he tried not to jostle the cords attached to Shuichi. Shuichi managed to awkwardly get an arm around his shoulders. He pressed his forehead against Yusuke's chest. He remained like that for a few seconds, fingers curled in the fabric of Yusuke's shirt.

When he pulled back Yusuke saw that Shuichi was smiling broadly.

"You missed all the celebration," Yusuke told him. "But we decided to postpone the whole white wedding shit until you woke up. It wouldn't have felt right without you there." He resumed his seat in the chair, patting Shuichi's arm. "Who else is gonna be my best man?"

Shuichi made a choked noise, tears beginning to spill down his cheeks.

"Shit, man, don't do that," Yusuke complained. "It's over now, okay? They got the bastards. Sekyo and Karasu are both in jail. You're safe."

Shuichi nodded, scrubbing at his eyes with his hand, but it still took some time for the tears to stop. Yusuke could feel wetness stinging his own eyes but he held them back and concentrated on comforting his friend. He could cry later, when he was alone and Shuichi would not be there to see.

-0-

Yusuke could have called Hiei at his work or Yukina at their home to inform them of Shuichi's awakening but he decided to keep it a surprise. Hiei showed up at the hospital expecting to find Shuichi asleep as he had been during all of his previous visits. He was stunned to see Shuichi awake and sitting up, propped up by pillows, with Yusuke sitting beside the bed.

Shuichi looked just as stunned to see him. His mouth opened then closed.

"And that's my cue to leave," Yusuke said with a grin. He patted Shuichi on the shoulder as he stood. "Don't get up to anything naughty while I'm not here. I'll be back later, Shuichi."

He paused beside Hiei before leaving. "He can't talk right now," Yusuke informed him. "I'm gonna get him a notepad later."

Hiei frowned but nodded. He took Yusuke's previous spot beside the bed. Shuichi gave him an uncertain look. Hiei waited until he was sure that Yusuke was gone before he spoke. He closed his fingers around Shuichi's wrist.

"I owe you an apology," he said quietly. "I never wanted to break up with you. I only did it because Sekyo asked me to."

Shuichi's eyes turned steely and he tried to jerk his hand from Hiei's grip but Hiei held on. "Just wait," he snapped. "I haven't explained everything yet."

Shuichi's sour expression told him that the redhead probably wasn't interested in his explanation but he plunged on anyway. "He told me that he could find my sister," he informed Shuichi.

Shuichi stilled, his expression changing to one of confusion.

"She's been missing for a long time," Hiei said. "I've been looking for her for years. I've finally found her. She's home and safe."

Shuichi leaned back against the pillows, staring up at the ceiling, his lips pressed in a thin line. Then he closed his eyes.

"I know I hurt you," Hiei said softly. "And I don't blame you for being angry at me. But I didn't have a lot of choice. I was in a really difficult position."

Shuichi turned his head to regard him, his expression unreadable. Finally, after several long seconds of thought, he nodded.

Hiei scowled. "What does that mean?" He demanded.

A small smile flitted across Shuichi's face. He reached over and took hold of Hiei's wrist. Hiei allowed Shuichi to tug it free from where it was still curled around his own wrist and lifted it. Shuichi brought it to his lips and planted a soft kiss on it.

Hiei's breath caught. Did that mean that Shuichi understood? That he forgave him?

"Thank you," he whispered. He felt as though a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. He'd been carrying around the guilt for so long that he'd forgotten how it felt to be free of it. He didn't deserve this wonderful man.

-0-

Hiei paused at the doorway of Shuichi's room, frowning when he realised that Shuichi wasn't alone. The woman sitting on the chair beside his bed was not dressed like a nurse and Hiei had never seen her before. Shuichi smiled at him and raised one hand, waving him in. Hiei noticed as he approached to stand beside the bed that a notepad rested on Shuichi's lap.

Hiei stared at the woman with narrowed eyes. She smiled Kindly at him.

"Hello. I am Aki Hirashi," she greeted him. "Are you a friend of Mr. Minamino's?"

Shuichi wrote something on the notepad and held it up for the woman to see.

"Ah," she said. "Boyfriend. I see. I'd like to speak with you later, if that's alright with you."

"Why?" Hiei demanded. He ignored Shuichi's reproachful look. He knew that he was being rude but he still didn't know why this woman was there.

Her tone softened when she answered him. "I am a counsellor," she said. "I work with police officers who've been through traumatic events. Mr. Koenma asked me to speak to Mr. Minamino."

"I still don't see why you need to speak to me," Hiei told her. Shuichi swatted at his arm, clearly annoyed with him. He was frowning up at Hiei.

Aki looked between them. "Perhaps I should leave the two of you to talk," she suggested. "It was lovely meeting both of you. Please think about what I've said, Mr. Minamino." She took a card from her pocket and set it on the table before leaving the room.

Hiei took her chair. "All right, what was that about?" He grumbled. "Why does she need to talk to me?"

Shuichi's pen hovered over the notepad. Hiei watched as he started to bite his bottom lip anxiously.

"Out with it," he said sternly.

Shuichi's eyes flicked briefly to him before returning to the paper. He slowly began to write. When he handed the notepad to Hiei, his hand was shaking slightly.

Three words were written there in Shuichi's neat writing and they sent a chill through Hiei.

'I was raped' was all it said.

Hiei looked back up at Shuichi. Shuichi had turned his face away, staring towards the window.

For a moment Hiei didn't know what to say. Finally he said, "I'm sorry." He'd known that Shuichi had been tortured but hadn't realised that it had gone further than that.

Tears began to spill silently down Shuichi's cheeks. He reached out one hand and snatched the notebook from Hiei. He tore the top sheet of paper from the book and let the book fall to his lap. Then he tore the piece of paper into pieces. He let them fall on the sheet, He still wouldn't look at Hiei.

Hiei didn't know what to say but he also didn't want to leave Shuichi alone. They sat in silence for a long time.

-0-

Over the coming days, Shuichi's voice slowly returned, though he was unable to speak loudly or for long periods of time.

"You're just trying to get out of the wedding speeches," Yusuke scolded him as they sat waiting for the doctor to arrive and discharge Shuichi from the hospital.

Shuichi smirked at him. "Perhaps I could create a slide presentation instead?" He suggested. "Complete with embarrassing childhood photos."

Kuwabara guffawed. "You have embarrassing photos?" he demanded. "You have to share them, man."

"No!" Yusuke exclaimed. "You don't really, do you, man?" he asked Shuichi worriedly. Shuichi simply smiled back at him innocently. Yusuke turned his eyes to Hiei, who was leaning against the windowsill and ignoring them. "He doesn't, does he?" he asked.

"How would I know?" Hiei demanded. "I haven't been through his crap."

Shuichi's belongings had been moved into Hiei's house when they'd realised that the rent on his apartment couldn't be paid. Yusuke had been going to pay for storage but Hiei had suggested that they just leave it in his house, since he had the room. Shuichi would be staying with Hiei until he found another apartment.

The doctor entered the room then and began lecturing Shuichi on how to care for his foot and his throat. Shuichi dutifully listened but Yusuke doubted that he was taking much of it in since his eyes had glazed over slightly. Hiei had approached the bed and was now standing beside it, his hand gripping Shuichi's as he stared at the doctor.

"Well, I suppose I can let you go now," the doctor said. "It seems like you have a lot of people to help you."

Shuichi smiled. "Yes, I do," he agreed.

Shuichi asked everyone to leave while he changed into a set of clothes more suitable for being outdoors than the pyjamas he'd had on. Hiei tried to help him walk down the hall but Shuichi insisted that he was fine and stubbornly relied solely on his walking cane for the entire walk. By the time they reached Hiei's car, Shuichi was panting. He didn't object when Hiei opened the door for him and slid into the passenger seat with relief, leaning his cane against his leg.

"Take care of yourself, man," Yusuke told him. "Call me later, okay?"

Shuichi gave him a warm smile. "Of course," he said. From behind Yusuke, Kuwabara waved at him.

-0-

Shuichi had never seen Hiei's house before. As they pulled into the driveway, he gave Hiei a disapproving look. Hiei caught the look from the corner of his eye as he parked the car.

"What?" He asked.

"The garden," Shuichi said flatly,

"What about it?" Hiei asked.

Shuichi paused, considering his phrasing. Hiei switched off the motor and sat there, waiting for Shuichi to continue.

Finally he said, "Have you ever heard of weeding?"

Hiei glared at him. "Smartass," he muttered as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "I'm busy, okay?"

"I'm not," Shuichi murmured. Koenma had given him two months off with the option of extending the time if Shuichi felt he needed it. He was uncertain if he would ever be able to do field work again, as his foot could make him a liability. The thought of working behind a desk permanently didn't appeal to him though. He was tentatively considering a change in career but was hesitant to make any rash decisions. He'd resolved to use the time off to think about it and see what transpired.

"Don't you dare," Hiei snapped. "You're supposed to be resting."

Shuichi shrugged. "I'll be careful," he said. "I'll probably need help with the taller plants but once those have been taken care of, the ones close to the ground won't be a problem for me. I can sit down and rest my foot while I'm weeding and pruning them."

Hiei got out of the car and stomped around to the passenger side. Shuichi was already halfway out of the car by the time Hiei reached him, his hand gripping his cane as he got to his feet. Hiei shut the door behind him.

"You're going to kill yourself," he muttered to Shuichi as he took the man's arm, ignoring Shuichi's protest and guiding him to the house. Yukina stood on the porch, bathed in soft light. She was wearing an apron and she gave them a broad smile as they approached.

"Come in," she said, ushering both of them into the warmth of the house. "You're just in time. I just finished cooking dinner."

Shuichi's mouth began watering at her words. He'd been lucky enough to sample Yukina's cooking when she'd brought him some meals while he was in the hospital and he had to admit that Hiei was not exaggerating her skill.

"That sounds … won... derful," he managed to get out. His voice was getting raspy again. He coughed. Hiei gave him a concerned look.

"Shut up," he told him. "You're not allowed to talk for the rest of the evening."

Shuichi rolled his eyes at the ceiling. Then he mouthed, "Yes, sir," at Hiei. Hiei was no lip-reader but Shuichi's expression and exaggerated lip movements clued him in to what Shuichi was saying.

"Glad to know you still remember your place," Hiei chuckled. Yukina gave them a confused look but Hiei shook his head, deciding to leave the explanations for later. She would find out the nature of their relationship soon enough but tonight wasn't really the time for explanations. Hiei just wanted to enjoy the evening.

-0-

Several days later Shuichi was snuggled up against Hiei as they watched television in the living room. They had the house to themselves as Yukina was spending the night with Keiko. Yusuke had invited them to stay at Kuwabara's with him but they had declined.

Hiei ran his fingers through Shuichi's hair as Shuichi rested his cheek against Hiei's shoulder. The television was on but the sound was low as neither of them were really interested in the movie anymore.

"My boss Koenma called me today," Shuichi murmured.

Hiei frowned. "What did he want?" he demanded. "You can't go back to work yet."

Shuichi shifted so that he was sitting beside Hiei with his head resting against the back of the couch. "He wants to charge Karasu for what he did to me," he said. "He thinks that we can use it to put Karasu away for a lot longer. But I have to testify."

"Are you going to do it?" Hiei asked. "It won't be easy."

Shuichi smiled bitterly. "Yes, I know," he said. "But I think I have to."

"You don't have to do anything," Hiei snapped at him. "They can't force you."

Shuichi gave him a surprised look. "I didn't mean it quite like that," he told him. His smile had shifted to one that held mild amusement. "I meant that I feel like I have to do it for me." He laid his head back on Hiei's shoulder.

"I see. Well, if that's what you want to do…" Hiei resumed stroking Shuichi's hair again.

"You know…" Shuichi said quietly after several minutes had passed.

"Mmmm," Hiei said, not really listening to him. He'd begun to doze off.

Shuichi raised his head to stare at Hiei, shifting a little. Hiei used the arm he'd had wrapped around Shuichi to pull him closer.

"We should have the wedding here," Shuichi said.

Hiei was suddenly wide awake. He glared at Shuichi. "Here?" he demanded incredulously.

Shuichi's smile was angelic and it sent a shiver down Hiei's spine. He was quickly learning that this particular look never boded well for him.

"It's perfect," Shuichi said. "The backyard is large enough. And I should be able to get the garden into shape by spring."

"Assuming I let you work in the garden," Hiei scowled at him.

Shuichi chose to ignore his comment, continuing. "The baby should be here by then as well," he said.

Hiei groaned, realising that Shuichi was set on this course of action. And he knew his sister well enough to know that she would be ecstatic over the idea when Shuichi presented it to her. Which he undoubtedly would, with or without Hiei's permission.

Hiei gave Shuichi's hair a gentle tug. It had grown longer during his hospitalisation and Shuichi had yet to have it cut. "You're impossible, you know that," he mumbled. "How the hell do you always seem to get your way?"

Shuichi smirked. "I'm just that good," he told Hiei.

"If you weren't injured I'd spank you," Hiei scowled.

"Don't let that stop you," Shuichi laughed. Then he coughed and Hiei gave him a concerned look. He retrieved a bottle of water from the coffee table and shoved it at Shuichi. Shuichi took several gulps before handing the bottle back. He took a few deep breaths before laying his head back on Hiei's shoulder.

"You still want to?" Hiei asked him, surprised. "Resume our… activities?"

He felt Shuichi nod against his shoulder. "After a little… renegotiation," he said hoarsely.

"Renegotiation?" Hiei asked nervously, wondering what Shuichi had in mind.

Shuichi sat up and took another sip from the water bottle before he reached for the notepad that had been sitting beside the bottle. He wrote for several seconds before handing it to Hiei.

Hiei read, 'No more clubs, no tying my feet.' Hiei assumed that the second part had to do with Shuichi's sore foot.

He nodded. "And?" he asked.

Shuichi took the notepad back, adding something below what he'd already written.

'Don't leave me alone while tied up.'

Hiei was surprised at the last one. "That sounds fair enough," he said. "Anything else?"

Shuichi shrugged. Hiei held the notepad out to him but he shook his head. "Enough. For now," he said. "I need time to think." His voice was raspy and he raised his hand to his throat, rubbing it as if it were irritating him. Hiei put the notepad back on the table.

"Take your time. There's no rush," he told him. "I'm not going anywhere." Privately he was glad that Shuichi planned to think about it more. He felt that Shuichi still had issues that he needed to work out.

Shuichi set the water bottle back onto the coffee table after taking another sip. Then he rested his head on Hiei's shoulder again. One hand reached up to play idly with the buttons on Hiei's shirt.

"Neither am I," Shuichi mumbled. Hiei smiled, though he knew Shuichi couldn't see it. Shuichi snaked his left arm around Hiei's waist.

Hiei rested his cheek against Shuichi's mane of red hair, the scent of Shuichi's rose scented shampoo teasing his nose.

He picked up the remote and began flicking through the channels. By the time he'd found a documentary to watch, Shuichi was snoring softly.


	11. Chapter 11: Epilogue

Keiko walked down the aisle looking lovely in her long white dress. Yusuke waited for her, dressed in his crisp black suit. His expression was uncharacteristically soft and nervous. His brown eyes flicked briefly to Shuichi before returning to his wife. Shuichi found Yusuke's nervousness amusing since this ceremony was really only a formality. The couple was already legally married.

Shuichi felt a small stab of regret. He had gently refused Yusuke's request to make him his best man since he still hadn't fully recovered and preferred to spend the ceremony sitting down. Kuwabara had taken his place, looking uncomfortable in his suit.

Yukina had helped Shuichi with the flowers and done most of the decorating. Being spring, the garden was in full bloom, a testament to Shuichi's hard work. It provided the perfect backdrop to the ceremony taking place.

Shuichi smiled as he watched Keiko stand beside Yusuke.

Hiei squeezed his hand. He'd been holding Shuichi's hand for the entire ceremony so far. Shuichi glanced at him, noticing that Hiei's own expression had softened. Shuichi smiled warmly at him.

Hiei gave him a questioning look. "What?" he murmured.

Shuichi raised a finger to his lips. "Shhh," he said, jerking his head towards the happy couple, who were about to say their vows. Hiei rolled his eyes at Shuichi but turned his attention back to the ceremony.

-0-

Later, Shuichi stood under a large sakura tree, away from the other people in the garden. The sky overhead was dark and dotted with stars. Some of the guests had already gone home, Keiko's parents among them. They were babysitting little Daisuke, Keiko and Yusuke's three month old son while the couple went on their long-overdue honeymoon. Shuichi would not be leaving that night. Hiei had invited him to spend the night.

Shuichi had, just a few weeks before the birth of Keiko and Yusuke's baby, found his own apartment and moved out of Hiei's house. Hiei had been upset with him at first, until Shuichi explained that he was used to living alone and wanted some solitude for a little while. He felt that things were moving too quickly between them and that a little bit of space would benefit both of them.

What he didn't admit to Hiei was that he felt he was becoming too reliant and dependant on Hiei and he wanted to stand on his own two feet for a while. Metaphorically speaking, since he couldn't actually stand on his left foot anymore without support.

At least he had the satisfaction of knowing that the bastard who had ruined it would rot in jail for the rest of his life. The severity of his injuries had obviously had a lot to do with the long sentence that the judge had handed down to Karasu.

Shuichi shivered as he thought about facing Karasu during the sentencing. The man had stared at him with such hatred in his eyes. Shuichi couldn't understand it. He'd never done anything to that man. Certainly nothing that could possibly justify Karasu's sadistic actions. The depth of emotion in that stare filled him with fear.

But it was over now and this night wasn't for remembering the past. It was about the start of a new future. At least for Keiko and Yusuke, it was.

Shuichi stared down into his drink as it reflected the glow from the fairy lights around him.

He felt someone beside him and didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"They're gone," Hiei reported, and Shuichi nodded. Keiko and Yusuke had just left, he knew. He'd said his goodbyes to them not long ago, before he'd retreated to his solitude. Hiei slid an arm around his waist.

"Want to come inside?" he asked Shuichi. "It's getting cold out here."

"The other guests…" Shuichi murmured.

"Yukina's taking care of them," Hiei assured him. "I think she's really enjoying herself."

It was true. Shuichi had noticed that Yukina seemed to be in her element as she played hostess. She was polite and kind and endeared herself to everyone who met her. He marvelled at how different the twins' personalities were.

Hiei led Shuichi through the garden, taking them on a roundabout route to avoid the guests. He went slowly, letting Shuichi set the pace. Shuichi was still reliant on his cane as his foot still pained him. Shuichi was relieved when they entered the house. Hiei took him straight to his bedroom.

Shuichi sat on the end of the bed and removed his tie with relief. He shed his jacket next and undid several buttons on his dress shirt.

Hiei picked up Shuichi's glass from the dresser and drained the remainder of its contents, earning a disapproving look from Shuichi.

"I was not finished with that," Shuichi informed him grumpily.

"Too bad," Hiei told him. He set the glass back down and moved to Shuichi.

"Get on the bed," he said.

"I am on the bed," Shuichi pointed out, a mischievous look coming into his emerald eyes.

Hiei glared at him. "You know what i mean," he said firmly.

Shuichi smirked but obeyed Hiei, moving so that he was laying on his back on the bed. Hiei straddled him, making quick work of undoing the rest of his buttons and removing his shirt.

Shuichi reached for Hiei's shirt, only to have his hands batted aside. "Above your head," Hiei told him.

Shuichi sighed in disappointment but placed his hands above his head, gripping the headboard with his fingers. He was rewarded with a hungry kiss from Hiei.

"Good boy," Hiei murmured as he pulled away. "Now just relax."

Shuichi made a small noise of protest but didn't move as Hiei stood beside the bed. He opened a drawer and removed a set of leather cuffs.

Shuichi felt himself become aroused in anticipation. Hiei regarded him thoughtfully with hooded eyes. He ran one hand lazily down Shuichi's chest.

"Perhaps I should tie you to my bed and keep you here forever," he suggested, only half-joking.

"Don't say that," Shuichi groaned as Hiei's hand moved lower. Though he didn't think he would really mind if Hiei did. He rather liked spending his time in Hiei's bed.

Hiei smiled as he cuffed Shuichi's wrists to the headboard. Then he straddled Shuichi again, fingers gliding across his bare chest and causing Shuichi to tremble beneath him. He traced one of the longest of the scars marring Shuichi's skin. Then he bent and kissed each one that he could reach. When he raised his head to see Shuichi's face, he saw that he had his eyes closed and his lips parted. A smile spread across Hiei's face. He was glad that Shuichi was so relaxed. This was only a recent development. It had taken some time for Shuichi to become comfortable with Hiei seeing his scars.

"Keep quiet, Shuichi," Hiei warned. He raised one hand to stroke Shuichi's cheek fondly. Shuichi's green eyes fluttered open. Hiei added, "Don't forget we have guests…"


End file.
